Jayne Castle [Jayne Ann Krentz] (51 page)

became fascinated with the Dawn Lord legends and tales of the Stones and the Keys. I read portions of

it this afternoon. He describes how he used the Mathematics of Paradox to discover where the Dark

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Key was hidden, and he very casually notes all the men who died trying to retrieve it. He felt nothing for

those men, Kalena. Whenever one was killed in that crevasse in the caves, he wrote off the death as

though he had merely lost another tool."

Kalena nodded sadly, glancing down at the book in her hand. "Everything he did was aimed at unlocking

the power of the Keys, and, perhaps, finally the Stones. He cared about nothing and no one else. What

have you done with the contents of his library, Ridge?"

Ridge ran a hand through his dark hair. "Many of the books can go to the various libraries maintained by

the different guilds. The Healers' Guild will pay a fortune to get possession of some of the volumes. But

I'm not sure what to do with the dangerous ones that are in that chest. A few are actually written in the

old language of the Dawn Lords. At least I think it's their language. I can't read it, but some of the letters

remind me of the letters that were carved into the box that held the Dark Key. There is a vague similarity

between the old language and our own. Perhaps that's why we thought the writing on the boxes looked

familiar. A part of me says I should destroy the old books, but something else within me resists the idea

of destroying such knowledge. There may come a time, Kalena, when this world of ours has need of that

knowledge."

Kalena looked at him consideringly. "Every Great House has a few secrets," she told him with a small

smile. "And a few very heavy responsibilities. It's possible those dangerous books are meant to be our

House's secret burden."

Ridge gave her a sharp glance. "You think we should keep them?"

"We will lock them away. They will be handed down to our children and to our children's children. Who

knows how many generations may come and go before the books are needed? When that time comes,

we must trust our descendants to do what is right. After all, they will carry within them the power of fire

and ice, and they will have something else, something more important."

Ridge watched her closely. "What is that?"

"A sense of honor and duty. I cannot envision any of our descendants lacking either, can you? They will

do whatever must be done when the time comes to use the books."

Ridge smiled wearily. "I think you may be right." The smile faded. "But that's not what I came to show

you."

"What is it in this little book of Quintel's that you want me to see?"

"The truth about what happened to the men of your House," he said starkly. "Olara was right. Quintel

had them killed."

Kalena took a deep breath to steady herself. "Why?"

"Because they were refusing him access to a river route he wanted for his trading ventures. He notes that

there were only two males left in the House of the Ice Harvest. The female members of the House, of

course, didn't matter to him. He decided it would be simple to get rid of the obstruction the House was

causing."

"Of course," Kalena echoed softly. "So he had the men killed. Olara told the truth. I think I already

knew that. If she had not been very certain of her facts, she would never have tried to kill. As it was, she

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felt she had no choice." Her eyes were wide and questioning as she continued to stare at Ridge.

Ridge's mouth tightened as he saw the way she was looking at him. He said with gritty pride, "I wasn't

the one Quintel used to kill your father and brother, Kalena. I knew nothing about it. He would have

known better than to assign me such a task. I did many things for him, but I never set ambushes designed

to make it appear that honorable, innocent men died by accident. I swear it on my honor."

"I know that, Ridge."

He continued to study her carefully for a while, and then he visibly relaxed. "You believe me."

"I have always believed you," she said. "If you had been responsible for the death of my father and

brother, you would have told me so long ago."

"Yes."

She held the book out to him. "I think you'd better lock this up with the old books of the Dawn Lords.

There is nothing in this diary for either of us now, is there?"

Slowly, he took the small volume from her. "No," Ridge agreed. "There's nothing in it for us." He glanced

around the garden. "You've been working hard."

"My first medicinal herb garden," Kalena said with satisfaction. "In a few months this court will be

blooming. I just finished putting in the xanthria seeds."

"What's xanthria?" Ridge asked with idle curiosity.

"A very useful herb that is used to treat men who have a particular physical problem." Kalena smiled

mischievously. "What type of physical problem?"

"One that prevents them from properly carrying out their husbandly duties in the sleeping pallet."

He grinned. "You must be sure to keep a good supply on hand for me in case I ever become lax in such

duties."

"Somehow," Kalena murmured, stepping into his arms, "I can't envision you ever suffering from such a

problem."

"Not as long as I have you in my pallet," he agreed huskily as he pulled her close.

Kalena awoke very early one morning in late spring and knew without lighting the Sand brazier that the

time had arrived. She lay quietly beside Ridge, thinking about the past and the future. A serene, secret,

womanly smile played about her mouth as she contemplated the richness of her life. And then another

contraction warned her that the newest member of the family was eager to enter the world.

Kalena got out of the pallet, moving a little awkwardly because of her temporary roundness, and slipped

into the robe that she kept near the hearth. Then she calmly made a mug of hot yant tea and went to

wake her husband.

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Ridge turned on his side, looking up at her with sleepy eyes as she reached down to hand him his tea.

"It's early," he remarked with a lazy yawn. "Come back to bed." He patted the covers invitingly.

"Not this morning, Ridge." Kalena smiled. "Your son or daughter is on the way."

"What!" He came up out of the sheets and blankets like a sintar being withdrawn from its sheath. The

mug of tea went flying. "What in the name of the Stones are you doing running around making yant tea?

Get back into the pallet. I'll send for the Healer who's been tending you. Where's that pot of herbs you're

supposed to drink?" He dashed across the room, stark naked, and yanked the cord that would summon

the servants. "Didn't you hear me, Kalena? I said get back into the pallet."

Kalena's smile broadened. "Yes, Ridge," she said meekly. Then another contraction hit her and her smile

grew shaky. She touched her rounded stomach and made her way very carefully to the pallet.

"Dammit, Kalena." Ridge was at her side instantly, easing her down. "You should never have gotten out

of bed. You should have awakened me immediately"

"I love you, Ridge," she said serenely.

Ridge's golden eyes blazed down at her. "I love you, too, Kalena. More than my life. You
are
my life.

You know that, don't you?"

"I think so," she whispered. "But it's nice to hear it every so often." She gasped as the next wave of

contractions struck.

"Maybe we'd better discuss this later. I think you'd better hurry and send for the Healer, my love."

Ridge was already at the door, yelling down the hall to the sleepy servants who were on the run to

answer the Fire Whip's summons. Everyone acknowledged that Ridge's temper had undergone a great

change for the better since he'd taken a wife, but no one in his right mind took foolish chances by

deliberately provoking him.

A few hours later, Ridge and Kalena's son came into the world, making his irritation with the whole

event known to everyone within bearing distance. It was obvious from the start that the babe had

inherited his father's fiery temper. It was also soon discovered that his mother had the power to soothe

the son just as easily as she could the father.

Kalena awoke from the deep sleep into which she had fallen following the birth and found Ridge nearby.

He was gazing down into the cradle that stood beside the pallet, examining his son in detail.

Kalena turned her head on the pillow. "Do you approve, my lord?"

Ridge tore his fascinated gaze from the infant and walked quickly over to the pallet. He dropped down

beside it, taking Kalena's hand in his. His expression was intense. "You have given me more than I had

any right to expect," he said with husky emotion. "Your love and now a son. I swear I will love and care

for you as long as I live, Kalena."

"I'm glad you're happy, Ridge," she said softly.

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"Happy," he repeated, shaking his head slightly. "I don't have the words to tell you how happy you have

made me. I never knew what happiness was until I met you. What about you, Kalena? Any regrets?"

She smiled at the anxiety in his eyes and shook her head. "None," she said truthfully. "We are bound

together, you and I. How could I be content without you?"

He leaned forward to kiss her tenderly, and when he lifted his head he was smiling wryly. "I almost

forgot." He reached for a leather box that was sitting on a nearby table. "These came from the jeweler's

today. I was going to surprise you with them tonight, but you got your surprise in first." He opened the

box to reveal three House bands nestled in sarsilk. Two were adult sized. One was for the wrist of an

infant.

Kalena reached out wordlessly and picked up the smaller of the two adult bands. Inscribed with

exquisite precision on the metal was the emblem of a new Great House. The symbol for fire was

interwoven with the symbol for ice. Beneath the symbols were inscribed the words:
House of the

Crystal Flame.
After that came the engraved seal of official recognition from the Hall of Balance.

Kalena slipped the House band onto her wrist. Her eyes met Ridge's as she spoke the old, formal

words. "I accept the honor of being the Lady of the House of the Crystal Flame, and I accept also the

responsibility that goes with it. I will be loyal to the House and its lord. Our children shall be raised

knowing that the honor of the House is theirs to keep, protect and defend. I seal this vow with my life."

Ridge took up his own wrist band and slipped it over his arm. "My life, my fortune and my loyalty are

bound forever to you, my lady. You are the heart and soul of this House. I will love, keep and defend

you as long as I live, and in so doing I will be preserving this House." Then his face broke into a smile.

"There has always been more than honor and duty between us, hasn't there, Fire Whip?" Kalena asked,

her gaze as warm as her husband's.

"From the start," he agreed. "We are bound by many things, you and I. But nothing is as strong as the

love that holds us together."

He bent his head to take her lips in a kiss that conveyed the full Spectrum of that love. Kalena

responded completely, knowing the fires of their passion would warm them the rest of their lives.

THE END.

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