Her Knight's Quest: A Warriors of the Mist Novel (25 page)

Despite her brave words, her body trembled with all that had happened and her continuing fear about their uncertain future. Duncan gently tipped her chin up, bringing her gaze up to meet his.

“You’re not alone in this, Lavinia. We will face the future together, no matter what it brings.”

Then he kissed her with such sweetness that it brought tears to her eyes. The Lady of the River had said Duncan was a good man, his honor and soul shining mirror bright. If the goddess had been right about Lavinia claiming Duncan’s heart, she would have to work hard to be worthy of such a gift.

She kissed him back, pouring into the embrace everything she felt but couldn’t yet give voice to.

Then the dinner bell rang and shattered their brief moment of peace. It was time to rejoin the others and set their plans into motion.

*  *  *

Once again Ifre had taken to his bed. Damn his sister! He’d been laid low as soon as the slaughter of his men had begun. His weakness had been compounded a short time later when the backlash from the destruction of his talismans hit him. The remaining power in the connection had snapped back hard enough to leave him screaming in pain.

His physician’s foul concoction had barely begun to work, leaving Ifre queasy and nearly immobilized.

Lavinia would pay for this. That was all that mattered now. He imagined her stretched out on his altar, her arms and legs chained to the posts as he carved her up into tiny pieces. Her agony and her blood would provide the final push, releasing the cloud of blackness he’d worked to create.

Even now, it stirred within him, approving of the direction of his thoughts.

Once he had the darkness firmly within his command, no one would dare stand against him. First of all, he would sacrifice any who dared impede his relentless march toward total power. To distract himself from the pounding in his head, he began to count off the people he would go after first.

He smiled.

All those sisters had conspired to hide Lavinia from him. They moved to the top of his list. There were others who’d done more to thwart him, but knowing her friends died because of her would only increase the power he could harvest from Lavinia’s agony.

Next would come the bastards who had slaughtered his men. When had the abbey hired armed guards? Probably right after Lavinia destroyed his coins. It was doubtful that she’d remain cowering in the abbey now, but he’d send another troop of men to find out.

When he could crawl back out of bed, the first thing he would do was cast a tracking spell, using his blood to enable his men to follow Lavinia. Even though she and he had different mothers, their father’s blood would’ve forged a common bond between them. As he thought of her blood and his, he sensed another presence, one that was both new and increasingly familiar. It caressed his mind, polishing the jagged edges of his pain into exquisite sharpness.

Even from his room on the top floor, he sensed the blackness pulsing down below in his private chambers. He reached out with his mind, absorbing its strength. It raced through his body, arousing his bloodlust. Oh yes, this was what he’d been working toward all along.

He slowly sat up on the edge of the bed and considered his options. There was bound to be someone available that no one would miss. One of the servants perhaps. It would take but a touch of his hand right now to capture a woman’s mind, making her willing to follow him down below to his chambers.

Once there, he would release his hold over her. What fun would it be if she had no will left with which to resist him?

He straightened his clothes and checked his image in the mirror. Right now the sweet blackness was running so hot within him, he feared that it would show in his face or at least his eyes. But, no, the image he saw reflected in the mirror was completely normal.

It was time to cull his newest victim from the herd. Then the evening’s festivities would begin. He’d feed the darkness and reap the rewards for his efforts. This time when he went after Lavinia, no power in the world would stand against him.

He descended to the great hall. A slow ripple of awareness rolled through the room as his courtiers noticed his arrival. As usual, they all vied for his attention. If they knew his truth, they wouldn’t be strutting around the room like so many colorful birds. They’d be running for the door and the fastest way out of town.

He let them think they were safe. For the moment they were, but not for long. As he wended his way through the room, stopping to chat with a few people along the way, he kept his eye out for a likely victim.

A movement on the far side of the room caught his attention—a pair of servant girls. Luscious and sweet, they looked as if they were fresh from the country, their skin tanned from the sun and their limbs strong from physical work.

They would be perfect for his purpose. The only question was which one to choose. Blonde or brunette? But then again, why did he need to choose at all? He approached them, pasting a look of embarrassed concern on his face. As soon as they recognized him, they dropped into a low curtsy.

“I know you are both busy, but I’m afraid that I have need of your services.”

The older of the pair immediately got a suspicious look in her eyes although she tried to hide it. “We should let Lady Theda know where we’ll be, my lord. She won’t be pleased if we abandon our posts.”

He chuckled good-naturedly. “I’ll make sure she knows that I borrowed you.”

As soon as he touched her cheek, her eyes lost their sharp focus. Her younger companion was easier to capture. They trailed along behind him as docile as could be as he led them toward the door that led to the lower level of his home. He’d send them on ahead to wait for him and join them later. They were his to use as he saw fit, but he’d prefer their disappearance not be associated with him for now.

Theda would guess, but she wouldn’t say anything. She stood to lose too much if she tried to interfere with his plans.

He locked the door behind the two women and hoped they enjoyed the journey down below. After all, it was the last one they’d ever make. Come midnight, their dying screams would fuel the hunt for his sister.

*  *  *

Three hours later, he led his two guests into his private chambers. The blackness shrieked inside his head, demanding more blood. Ifre put a hand on the wall to steady himself as the ravenous hunger battered against the inside of his skull. With the power behind his magic growing stronger, so did its need for more blood and more pain.

Ifre did his best to placate the shapeless monster, promising the blood would start flowing within minutes. As he and his two companions made their way down the passageway, he found himself staring at the soft sway of the older one’s hips. His manhood stirred to life, a different hunger making itself known.

He smiled. Oh yes, he would feed the blackness a fine meal indeed.

*  *  *

The next morning, tired but satisfied with the night’s pleasures, Ifre strolled outside with members of his court trailing along behind him. The bright sunshine immediately pierced his eyes with painful shards of light, causing him to stumble. One of his courtiers caught his arm to steady him. Ifre jerked his arm free but forced himself to acknowledge the man’s gesture with a quick nod before continuing on.

His growing connection to the darkness coiled and writhed within his chest in reaction to the light. The unsettling sensation slowed his steps and made it difficult to continue forward to where his men awaited their orders. Finally, Ifre took refuge under a nearby tree, its thick foliage providing enough shade to give him some respite.

The darkness demanded he return to the comfort of his secret chambers, away from the light and back to the blood. Ifre fought for control, all the while pretending to inspect the troops in mounted formation in front of him. With a great deal of effort, he subdued the darkness enough to speak to his army.

He stepped forward. “Soldiers of Agathia! I have received word your captain and his men have been slaughtered by the same enemies who killed my friend and loyal subject, Lord Fagan!”

A ripple of shocked anger rolled through the troops, causing their horses to stir restlessly.

“I want you to track down those responsible for the death of your leader and your brothers. I had sent them on a mission to the abbey at the edge of the Sojourn Valley to convey an invitation to Lady Lavinia, my sister. Instead, they were greeted with treachery and death.”

Ifre drew himself up to his full height, looking suitably grim and resolute. “Here are your orders: Find those responsible and make them pay for their crimes.”

One particularly brave individual called out, “And what of your sister? Has she been taken prisoner?”

Was it time to announce her betrayal? Would they believe him? His sister had always possessed a talent for charming the rabble. No, better to let them discover her treachery for themselves.

“Your mission is to find out what has become of Lady Lavinia and escort her back here to safety.”

He then gave the newly promoted captain a small token that would lead the troops straight toward Lavinia, tracking her by the common blood bond. There hadn’t been time to infuse his power into another set of individual talismans.

The necklaces took too much time to prepare, especially for so many at once. It was a risk sending his men out with their free will intact, but right now he had no choice. The longer he delayed seeking retribution, the weaker he would appear and the better chance that Lavinia and whoever was aiding her would find another hiding place.

Worse yet, they might join forces with others who would oppose him. That could prove disastrous if they attacked before he was ready for them. Once his power reached its full potential, no one would be able to stand against him.

Until then, though . . .

“Ride, warriors of Agathia! May the gods guide and protect you! Avenge your captain, avenge your friends, avenge the honor of your ruler and your land!”

The troops saluted him with drawn swords and shouts of victory to come as they rode out. He dutifully stood by and watched until the last one was out of sight. Appearances were everything, especially when he was surrounded by the members of his court. He’d already suffered two defeats and couldn’t risk his people questioning his ability to rule Agathia.

Once they dragged Lavinia before him in chains, he would spill her bastard blood on his altar, supping richly on its power. Then everyone would know for all time that he was the strongest of the Keirthan lineage. Hoping that day would soon arrive, he led the procession back inside, the dim interior a relief after standing in the burn of the midday sun.

A gaggle of lesser nobles and merchants waited inside, all of them wanting to vie for his attention. His first instinct was to lash out, to order them from his sight. But common sense dictated that he continue to act the part of a duke who actually cared about his people.

He waved the first man forward. “Attend to me, Lord Vulan, and tell me how I can be of help.”

Chapter 26

J
osup had proven to be a master of organization. While Duncan saw to his own preparations for travel, the guard had set his men to loading the wagons with the basic necessities for their trip across the mountains to safety.

The plan was for the guards and sisters to depart at dawn. After burying one of their own, the guards had helped with the funeral pyre for the duke’s men. With so many to send on their way to their final rest, there’d simply been too much to do to leave before the sun faded in the west. The switchback was tricky enough in daylight. To attempt it at night with wagons was asking for disaster.

Duncan added the last of his gear to the pile by the door, and then looked up and down the hall. Where had Lavinia disappeared to? Had she decided to do the sensible thing and ride with him and Sarra for Lady Merewen’s keep? He truly hoped so. If she even hinted that she planned to stay here at the abbey alone or that she wanted to ride with the other sisters, he’d have to do something drastic.

He didn’t want that to happen. Josup and men had been hired to protect the sisters and the abbey. Would they stand against him if they thought Duncan was a threat to Lavinia? Surely she wouldn’t put them all at risk.

The guards were loading crates of books into the wagons, so she’d finished sorting the library. He was guessing that she had left her own packing for last, which meant most likely she was in her quarters. If they were going to argue about her plans, he’d prefer to do so in privacy. Once he had her convinced to come with him, they could present a united front to the other sisters.

If
he could convince her.

He knocked softly on the office door. No answer. He slipped inside anyway. Her office looked as if it hadn’t been touched. It seemed unlikely to him that she’d leave behind everything in the room.

The garden was empty, too, and her scrying bowl was exactly where they’d left it earlier. Now he knew for sure that something was wrong. Lavinia might not be able to pack the heavy metal stand, but she would never abandon the bowl itself, not when it was her connection to the gods. He crossed the garden to listen outside her bedroom door.

She was in there. He could hear her mumbling to herself as soon as he approached the door. Should he knock first? Even though she’d shared her bed with him, he wasn’t sure of his welcome now.

A choked-off sob took the decision out of his hands. If she was that upset, if she needed a shoulder to cry on, he would offer his. He found her perched on the edge of her bed with her face buried in her hands.

Not wanting to startle her, he whispered her name. “Lavinia?”

At first, she didn’t respond, but then she let her hands fall down to her lap. Her eyes were red and swollen, her cheeks stained with the tracks of tears. Clearly she’d been crying as if her heart had been broken. Maybe it was. Evil had reached right through the thick walls of the abbey not once, but twice, both times targeting Lavinia.

She had to be terrified. Any rational person would be. He stepped closer, finally sitting down beside her to put his arm around her shoulder. When she ducked back to avoid his embrace, he didn’t try again.

“I’m so sorry, Lavinia.”

She scrubbed at her face with the sleeve of her robe. “Why? You’re not the one who sent those men after me.”

“True, I didn’t. However, I truly regret that your brother has chosen to follow such a twisted path, and that his actions are hurting you and those you care about.”

She scooted farther away from him. That small distance left him feeling cold and alone. “Lavinia, I can’t help if I don’t know what you’re thinking.”

Rather than answer right away, she left the bed to pace the length of the room and back. On the second trip around, she finally spoke.

“Your goddess spoke of
your
honor,
your
duty.”

By now, her tears had dried up, but they’d left their mark on her soft skin. There was nothing soft about the look she gave him now. “She also said that your concern for me has divided your loyalties. That I’m making you weak.”

“But I’ve already told you—”

Without waiting for him to reply, she resumed walking. “I understand her concerns, but I must consider
my
own duty and honor. Certainly, the sisters look to me for leadership. No doubt they expect me to leave with them in the morning, even knowing that I took a solemn vow to protect this abbey and its library. How can I run at the first hint of danger?”

She rounded on him again, arguing with him even though he’d yet to say a word. “I know we’re sending the most precious books with the sisters. And, yes, many of the books can be replaced if necessary, but that is beside the point. What does it say of my personal honor if I abandon not only my post but the very things I have sworn to protect?”

He wanted to shake some sense into her, to make her realize that she was infinitely more precious than even the rarest of the books in the abbey library.

“One woman cannot stand against Duke Keirthan alone, Lavinia. Not even you.” Clearly, for all the attention she paid to him, he was pouring water on infertile soil. “Lavinia, you must—”

Big mistake. Her eyes flared wide as she glared at him. “Do not try to tell me what I must or must not do, Duncan. You don’t have the right.”

She wielded the sharp edge of her words with deadly accuracy, leaving his heart bleeding. True, he had no claim on her and was in no position to make one, not when his days numbered so few. But, by the gods, she mattered.

Rather than argue when she was obviously not ready to listen to him, he waved his hand, telling her without words to continue. She jerked her head in a sharp nod and began pacing again.

“We both know that Ifre is not going to give up. If I go with the sisters, his men will follow after us. I cannot be responsible for visiting his evil on another group of innocent sisters, especially in another country. Agathia has enough trouble without inciting a war with our neighbors.”

“So what have you decided to do?”

“Isn’t it obvious, Duncan? I have to leave with you. Even then, my brother’s men will likely follow us right to Lady Merewen’s gate. And I will be responsible for bringing harm to her door again. Yet what choice do I have? We must band together to fight Ifre’s evil or most assuredly we will all perish at his hands.”

She paused to pick up a small vase. To him, it looked perfectly ordinary, but she cradled it as if it were most precious. Why?

“This belonged to my mother. It and my scrying bowl are the only two things of hers I was able to keep. Everything else was given to the maids or else burned.”

Her next words came out on a choked sob. “Once again I am being forced out of my home, taking only what I can fit into saddlebags.”

She moved as if to throw the vase against the wall, but Duncan caught her hand before she could.

“We will make room for this and the bowl. Bring what is most important to you. We can always take a second packhorse if necessary.”

He pried the vase out of her fingers. “I well understand losing everything that holds meaning in your life. This vase might remind you of your mother, Lavinia, but she isn’t in this vase. She lives on in your heart just as my mother lives in mine.”

He set the vase aside and wrapped his arms around Lavinia, relieved that she didn’t fight him this time. “I will do everything in my power to ensure that you will once again know peace in your life. But until that day, I need you to let me keep you safe.”

“Who keeps you safe, Duncan? When will you know peace?”

A question that had no happy answer. “My friends and I stand together.”

She settled against him. “I look forward to meeting them.”

He smiled at the thought. “That will be interesting. For certain, you will like Lady Merewen. She’s a strong woman just like you.”

Finally, Lavinia sighed and stepped back. “I should start packing if I want to be ready to leave with you in the morning.”

Good. One less battle for him to fight. “Good. Sarra will be happy to know that you’ll be with her.”

“There is that, but it’s not as if I have a choice in the matter. But as I said, Ifre will follow. He’s already proven his magic will allow him to seek me out wherever I go. Better that I ride to where there are warriors prepared to fight him. Any other choice would only put the sisters at risk.”

Lying was of no value to either of them.

“That much is true, Lavinia, but always remember that none of this is your fault. Ifre set all of this in motion when he sent his men after you, but I am sorry that it has come to this for you.”

He started to leave, but he had even harder news for her. “The three of us will leave tonight.”

Her eyes widened. “But I’ve already told everyone to be ready to depart in the morning.”

“That’s safest for them. The trail up the hillside may have been compromised by the duke’s attack. Josup will need clear vision to be able to safely maneuver the wagons down to the valley floor. My ability to see at night is far superior to a normal man’s, so I can guide us safely down the hillside. Besides, their tracks will help hide ours. We’ll cut cross-country for a while rather than follow the road. I’m hoping that will help throw the duke’s men off our trail.”

The defeat in her posture was painful to see. “Fine, then. As you wish. Packing will not take me long.”

He looked around her room. “You can send much of this with the sisters. Once we’ve defeated Keirthan, you can either send for your things or rejoin the sisters here at the abbey. For now, take your vase and the scrying bowl. Add to that a change or two of clothing, personal items, and anything else that a horse can carry that you cannot bear to leave behind.”

“The books—”

He stopped her. “I’ve already packed the few you said we’d need to take with us to Lady Merewen’s keep. The others that we can’t risk falling into the duke’s hands are already in the wagon. I asked the sisters to move the rest of the library into the workroom.

“Before we leave, you can strengthen the wards. That’s the most any of us can do right now. Meanwhile, Sister Margaret has put together food for us, and Sister Joetta has helped Sarra prepare for the journey.”

For the first time since he’d walked in, Lavinia’s eyes sparked with life. “You’re making me feel like so much baggage. I’m surprised you didn’t tie me on one of the packhorses.”

Her comment startled a laugh out of him. “I probably shouldn’t admit this, but I considered doing exactly that if you refused to ride with me.”

From the shocked look on her face, she must have believed him. “I can’t believe you would admit to such an outrage. How dare you!”

His smile faded. “I would do that and more to protect you, Lavinia.”

Her anger faded as quickly as it had come. “I apologize, Duncan. I well know that you are not the enemy here.”

Then she surprised him. “I’m not sure I could’ve watched you ride away without me. My first duty is to the sisters and the library I’ve sworn to protect, but everything that’s happened has convinced me that my true path runs beside yours.”

“We both understand what our gods expect of us.”

Then she surprised him. “It’s not my duty that has me riding with you, Duncan. It’s my heart. I care about you too much to watch you disappear from my life one minute before you have to.”

His own heart pounded in his chest as she said the words he’d never hoped to hear. “And I care about you, as well, Lavinia. Your courage, your strength, everything about you.”

He drew her closer once more. “And I will keep you safe or die trying. This I swear.”

Then he kissed her long and hard to seal his promise. Lavinia responded with such sweetness, enticing him to deepen the kiss. Would that they had time to do more than simply taste each other, but the duke would’ve already unleashed more of his troops to avenge the deaths of his men.

As it was, Duncan and his two charges would pass perilously close to the road to the capital city on their way back to Lady Merewen’s keep. If they timed it wrong, they could very well cross paths with their pursuers.

He broke off the kiss, wishing he could slam the door closed and carry her down onto the bed. But no, that way lay folly.

“Pack what you need, Lavinia, while I finish saddling the horses. As soon as you’re done, we ride to join my friends.”

“I’ll be ready.”

*  *  *

Lavinia walked beside Duncan, leading her horse and the pack animal while he led his own mount and the one Sarra rode. The little girl had quit complaining about having to leave the abbey as soon as she’d found out that Lavinia would be going with her. There’d been a few tears when Sister Joetta had hugged each of them good-bye, but Sarra hadn’t hesitated to let Duncan boost her up into the saddle.

Lavinia understood why they had to take Sarra with them, but were they only leading the girl into the path of more danger? She prayed the gods would show mercy on Sarra; she’d already lost so much in her young life.

Duncan stopped suddenly and handed off the reins to her as he leaned in close to murmur, “Wait here.”

He drew his sword and slipped off into the darkness, leaving her and Sarra on the trail alone. She bit back the urge to demand an explanation. Clearly he’d sensed something might be amiss ahead. Delaying him could only make the situation worse, but she hated feeling so vulnerable, especially with Sarra beside her.