Heart Dance (46 page)

Contenting herself to stalk around D’Willow with a thrashingtail, Fairyfoot said,
I am a good and loving Fam. Woman is a mean old hag. No one likes her.

“I want that cat out, now.”

“No,” Dufleur said.

Old D’Willow looked at her with disdain, then switched the same gaze to him. “I won’t be taking any Loyalty Oath to you.”

Dufleur said, “You will take the oath, or I will prosecute you as an accessory to the murder of my father. I’m sure given the state of your health, we can keep it only to SupremeJudge Elder and a committee of the FirstFamilies Council.”

“You can’t.” She seemed to sway, but stuck out her chin and moved forward until she leaned on the throne-chair. Saille eyed the seat. The arms didn’t look wide enough to accommodate his MotherDam’s mass. He realized he was amused. Surely that was the ultimate indication that he’d overcome any fear he’d had of this woman, that he was now amused by her?

“No one will believe you. Your father was mad and dishonorable.”

Dufleur snorted. “That old tune. He couldn’t have been so mad, since we worked together and I had the skill and knowledgeto revive
you
.”

“You broke the laws of experimenting with time in Druida.”

Dufleur shook her head at old D’Willow. “Wrong. My actionsin reviving you were perfectly legal, sanctioned beforehandby the Healers, who were there when you awoke, if you recall. You’ve lost several months of time, D’Willow.”

“The FirstFamilies Council will stand with
me
!”

Dufleur cocked her head, now
she
appeared amused. They’d both grown, then. Separately and together. “Truly? How many of your alliances hold? How much goodwill do you have with the members of the Council? I can’t think that it would be much. You are not a pleasant person.” She smiled, a genuine radiantsmile to Saille. “And Saille T’Willow has a great deal of goodwill. He’s consulted with many, has proven himself strong in Flair and common sense, and has been a great deal more accommodatingthan you.” She ended softly. “You can’t win anywhere—not in the Courts, you are an accessory to murder. You can’t win with the FirstFamilies Council, you have no allies who will fight with or for you. You can’t win in a pure trial of strength, because your Flair has been gone for a long time, and the Ship and T’Ash can testify to that. I won’t let you win. I love Saille, and he loves his Family, and
we
won’t let you win.”

“You can’t win in the Family,” Saille said.

Anger twisted his MotherDam’s expression. “You are wrong. I will always rule this Family.” Her lip curled. “Even though it’s obvious you’ve been poking and prying into my affairs.”

Arbusca’s chin trembled, but she squared her shoulders. She turned to Saille and held out both her hands. He took them automatically.

“I pledge to you on my most solemn Vow of Honor, that I will follow you, Saille T’Willow, as Head of the Willow household.I do this of my own free will and because I know you are the best person to serve the Family and the estate.”

A tide of pure love came from his mother to him, and the bond between them doubled and redoubled.

He cleared his throat, struggled to get the words from his throat. “I promise that I will set the welfare of my Family beforemy own, that I will protect and nurture each member of the Willow Family and seek to better this GreatHouse in every way.”

“No!” shouted his MotherDam.

The others were lining up behind his mother.

“Hasn’t it ever occurred to you why you caught the rare milainvirus?” Dufleur said quietly. “The effect of so many broken Loyalty Oaths to your Family. We’ve all seen how the Hollys suffered. Now you are a good example, too.”

“Lies!” she shrieked. “You told, her, boy, didn’t you, to get her on your side.”

“What?”

“Poking and prying and using what you learned against me! That gold box there of your mother’s. So he found it and gave it to you, Arbusca, just to alienate you from me.”

Arbusca stared. “What?” she said faintly.

“That gold ring, the one your HeartMate gave me for you. Your low-class, rude HeartMate who couldn’t appreciate you. Your son told you about it, how I kept it from you. Now you’re in a snit and paying me back.”

Arbusca’s aura flashed, Flair spiraling out of control along with her temper. Saille had the oddest vision of her self-control disintegrating.

“What! My
HeartMate
gave you something for me, and you never told me!”

His MotherDam had a temper. He did, too. But he’d thought that had passed his mother. Apparently not.

Face red with fury, eyes wild with pain, Arbusca snatched the ceremonial blazer from the table and shot D’Willow.

Gasps started from throats, abrupt movements—D’Willow twisting, Saille jumping, hands to cover mouths or try to help— froze as Dufleur stopped time.

They were all aware of it. She whirled to D’Willow. “Your choice. I can release time and let events take their course.”

With obvious effort, the woman rolled her eyes toward her torso. The blazer beam would hit near her heart.

“But this action costs us. All of us.” Pain knotted her nerves, biting, snapping. Sweat coated her body.

No
, D’Willow projected. Dufleur didn’t know if she was the only one to hear the old woman. A band tightened around Dufleur’s temples, throbbing. She couldn’t hold time for very long, even augmenting her Flair with others’, with Saille’s. Soon her vision would fade, then she would collapse.

Moving through the thick fields of so many people was difficult.Dufleur calculated her best action. D’Willow was closest.

Dufleur lifted one foot, placed it a few centimeters away. Lifted another. Near enough to D’Willow to set hands against her.

Could she succeed?

Her breath labored, her field of vision narrowed.

One. Last.
Push.

D’Willow fell slowly, then faster, and when she was a few centimeters from the thick rugs, Dufleur released time and folded to the floor herself.

Gasps. Arbusca’s finger releasing the trigger of the blazer, dropping the weapon. Saille continuing on his plunge across the room.

Then screams. Sobbing from Arbusca. Comforting words.

The feel of Saille lifting her into strong arms. His set face.

“She’s convulsing!” someone said.

With effort, Dufleur watched as old D’Willow’s body shook. “Her heart,” Saille said.

No one rushed to the woman. Perhaps no one had the strength—physically or the will, Dufleur had used their Flair and energy, too.

Froth and a gurgle escaped from D’Willow, then came the scent of death.

“It’s over,” Saille said. “Mother, come with me to put Dufleur to bed.”

Dufleur let darkness snatch her away.

When she woke in Saille’s bed, that massive generational bed, she blinked in surprise that everyone who had been downstairsin the entry room was gathered around.

A small smile curved Saille’s lips. “A meeting.”

Clearing her throat, Dufleur said, “I must say something first.” She looked at Arbusca Willow. “I did it for you. Not for her. You are the heart of this Family.”

Tears still trickling down streaks on her face, Arbusca nodded. Dufleur figured she hadn’t been unconscious for long. Less than she would have expected for such an effort. She groaned. Fat, soft pillows propped her up.

One of the ladies bustled forward, with a tall porcelain cup with steam rising. A sweet smell teased Dufleur’s nostrils.

“Drink this.” The woman held out the mug.

Dufleur’s fingers twitched, but she couldn’t raise her hand.

Saille took the mug and put it against her lips. The herbal tea was just hot enough to soothe her throat but not burn it. When she felt better, she turned her head away.

“Drink it all,” Saille said.

“No,” she whispered.

“I think—”

“Let the girl be, so we can talk this over.” The one who’d brought the mug retrieved it from Saille. She sent Dufleur a steady look. “You did the right thing. We all agree. You were right in what you did.”

Dufleur only saw nodding faces around her, not a trace of doubt. Maybe that would come later.

“You saved us,” Saille said simply. “You prevented a tragedy that would hurt this Family for generations.”

“Especially if what happened ever became common knowledge,” someone said.

Saille’s expression hardened into steel. “I will want everyone’s solemn Vow of Honor, on pain of banishment to the country,that you will not speak of the events that took place here.
Ever.
”

Shaky assents came from the women.

“You must report me to the guards,” Arbusca said.

“No. That will never happen. Dufleur’s right. You’re the heart of this Family. I don’t know how we’ll do without you when your HeartMate claims you.” He kissed her hand, the one that wore her HeartMate’s gold ring.

“I can’t be rewarded for—”

“You made a mistake. A mistake that would not reflect well on the Family. Therefore it will remain a Family secret.” His mouth pulled down. “We have plenty of secrets, and all of the recent ones because of my predecessor.”

Exchanges of curious looks.

“You will have to live with your secret, and the knowledge of what you did and what you are guilty of, and that the Family knows. That is your punishment.”

Arbusca lowered her head, face flushed. “Yes, Saille.”

All Families have secrets. Especially FirstFamilies. I know many. And I know All About Time
, Fairyfoot said smugly, movingfrom where she’d stretched along Dufleur’s side to her lap. Her purr revved.

But Dufleur had tensed.

Saille frowned. “Dufleur has her own secrets. I hope she shares them with me, and together we will decide how much to tell the rest of you. But again, there will be Vows of Honor involved,and breaking those will have an ill effect on your health.”

“I don’t think I’d care to know,” someone murmured. There was some agreement.

“Very well. These will be secrets between the GreatLord and GreatLady of the House of Willow.” He picked up Dufleur’s hand and pressed a kiss to her palm, sending her strength and energy.

The Residence said, "FirstLevel Healer GrandLord T’Heather is here to examine the body.”

At that, the women whisked away to their duties, leaving Dufleur and Saille alone. He sat on the bed next to her, put his arm around her. “You are such a fascinating woman, Dufleur, and Flair such as yours should have been incorporated into the FirstFamilies long since.”

“I’m not sure how much I want to tell the FirstFamilies.”

He kissed her lips, a gentle brush. “That is your decision.”

“One I’ll make with you. I can share everything with you.” A great weight drained from her. She wasn’t the sole person responsiblefor decisions about time.

“Thank you,” Saille said wryly. He played with her fingers. “I’ve ordered a large meal for you.”

There was a knock on the door. Saille rose. “All your favoritefood. And that’s your dinner.” One side of his mouth lifted in an unamused smile. “Now I go deal with T’Heather.”

“Her heart did give out,” Dufleur said. “I can reverse time and stop the disease, but not all the side effects.”

Saille sighed. “Then there will be no trouble from T’Heather.”

“I shouldn’t think so.” Dufleur pushed the covers back.

“Don’t get up. You should rest. Perhaps I should have him look at you—”

“No. I know the effects of my usage of Flair far better than you, T’Willow. I am D’Thyme.”

He smiled, opened the door, and the scent of the food that made her mouth water also made Dufleur reconsider.

Dinner in bed. When had she ever had dinner in bed?

She almost snorted, but her eyes stung, and she liked the sentiment, at least.

When she’d finished the tray and felt much better, she re
memberedher vow to find the
late
D’Willow’s memoryspheres. She slipped from Saille’s rooms to the suite next door.

She entered the room and wrinkled her nose at the scent— too much stale perfume. The sitting room was cluttered with furniture, knick-knacks, objects of all sorts. All the walls except for the one that held floor-length windows were covered in bookcases. No wonder even a large and efficient staff failed to find a few memoryspheres, though it was obvious a search had been made. There must be hundreds of hiding places.

I will look in the bedroom that attaches to FamMan’s sitting room
, Fairyfoot said, trotting off. Dufleur smiled faintly, sure the FamCat would be looking for an old connecting FamDoor, or scouting a place to put a new door. She’d wanted these rooms after all.

Shutting the hall door, Dufleur went to a small clear space in the middle of the room and centered herself and her Flair. She had a HeartMate connection with Saille, not a HeartBond, not yet, but the next time they loved . . . She had a faint connection with all of the Willows through Saille. Including his MotherDam.

More. Dufleur had laid hands on old D’Willow, knew the cells in her body that had carried the disease. Had manipulated the diseasein those cells, killed it. Yes, she had a link to D’Willow.

And determination.

And perhaps just enough emotional distance from the old woman to find what the Willows couldn’t.

She was stronger in her Flair now and knew more about working with time. She gathered all the molecules of the Time Wind floating in the room to her. She stretched her senses, searching for something hidden, something secret.

Show me
, she prayed. She shoved the Time Wind violently away from her.
Go to something hidden, something secret, something not seen for five months, two eightdays.
She saw a red flash wash against a fist-sized area of white wall, a small stretch between books. Walking toward the bookcase, she saw the bookend on the left against a row of volumes of
History of Celta
. It was a bronze hawk in flight, a symbol of the Willows. Then came the small space, nearly out of her reach, and another bookend, this one glass formed as two maidens, one in the horns of a waxing moon, one in a waning moon. The books to the right of that holder were thin volumes of ritual templates by the order of priestesses, the Maidens of Saille.