Kiss of the Betrayer (A Bringer and the Bane Novel) (22 page)

Jacob’s mouth dropped open. “Have you all been struck stupid? To charge into the Shadow World is death—or worse. Then where would the Bringers be?”

“That is why I wish to go in first,” Luc said.

Jade faced him. “
We
wish to go in.”

“That is why I wish to go in first, and Jade has demanded to join me,” Luc amended.

Rhys eyed him. “If we take Vile out first, the rest of the Bane will be easier to manage. You can have your chance then.”

“And what if you can’t vanquish him and don’t return? What if you are turned like Esmeralda or he uses
you
to open the Abyss?” Luc tapped his index finger against the table. “The tides of war will shift in the Bane’s favor. Who among the remaining Bringers will be strong enough to vanquish not only Vile, but Icarus, you, and Ravyn?”

Silence filled the room. Luc’s words filled Jade with dread. Though she’d understood the risks for Rhys and Ravyn, she hadn’t completely thought it through. For them to enter the Shadow World was unthinkable.

“Let us go.” Her voice broke the tension. “And if we return, we will help you. I’ve lived in the Shadow World and know of a way in that will not alert Vile.” She paused. “But first, we need to release Rell so that she does not become a tool for Icarus and possibly Vile.”

Rhys glanced at Ravyn, lifting his brows. She stared at him for a long time, unblinking.

Finally, Ravyn turned toward Jade and Luc. “I don’t like it. There’s nothing telling me you will be successful.”

“But there’s nothing telling you we won’t be, right?” Luc said.

“Usually I feel something, but with this there’s only—” She hesitated. “I don’t know how to explain it. As if destiny is holding its breath, waiting.”

“Let’s table the idea until after Illuma Grand.” Rhys stood, indicating the discussion was over.

“Perhaps we’ll uncover something at Illuma that will be of help.” Jacob also rose. “Then we’ll be able to reassess more effectively.”

Luc’s father looked like a man given a short stay of execution. It couldn’t be easy to watch your son gallop into danger.

Luc said nothing more, but pulled out Jade’s chair and offered her his hand. She took it and was surprised when his fingers threaded through hers and didn’t let go. His eyes lingered on her face, holding her gaze for a second before looking away. From his expression, this debate was not over.

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze in a show of silent support. Whatever he decided to do, she would follow. Setting her sister’s soul free was something they had to do before either of them could move on.

C
HAPTER
S
IXTEEN

They were on the road within the hour. Not used to riding, let alone sitting sidesaddle, it took a good mile before Jade felt confident in her seat. She ignored the ache in her back caused by the horse’s gait and concentrated on the beautiful day.

The crisp morning air bit at her nose and steam rolled from the horse’s nostrils. Sunlight illuminated the leaves, rimming them in yellow light. Wood smoke from the chimneys of the cottages filled the air, bringing with it a sense of home. All harbingers of the impending winter.

Conversation was light and the road uncommonly busy. Shortly after noon, they turned off the main road and passed beneath the iron arch of Illuma Grand.

Posh carriages, single riders and throngs of walking people clogged the roadway.

“What is going on?” Luc said.

“Damn fool.” Jacob pulled his horse to a stop. “Bagita has opened Illuma Grand to the masses.”

“Aren’t the Bringers to remain anonymous?” Ravyn asked.

“Yes.” He lowered his voice so only their small group could hear. “The Council voted against this proposal at the last meeting, but it appears Fromme doesn’t need Council permission any longer.”

“He grows bold indeed,” Rhys said. “But to what end? Is he vying for control of Illuma Grand?”

“I think it’s bigger than that.” Jacob glanced around them. “At first his actions were confined to the Council, then the Bringers who lived here.” He shifted in his saddle and leaned in. “I’ve heard rumors that Fromme has formed an alliance with the Order of the Saints.”

“Rumors?” Luc asked.

Jacob shrugged. “From a reliable source.” He lifted his head in the direction of the crowds. “Now he throws open the gates as if Illuma Grand were his own home. I can only assume the rumors are true.”

“It sounds like he’s positioning himself politically,” Luc said.

“But why?” Ravyn asked. “He’s not part of the Order and the royal seat has been empty for…”

Jade watched the quiet exchange between Jacob and Ravyn, comprehension dawning. Unable to resist, she whispered, “Do you think he means to be king? To claim the throne?”

She stared at Luc’s father until he slowly nodded his head. “Of course, he’s going to reinstate the crown.”

The caravan rolled forward a few feet and stopped again. Rhys sat straight in his saddle, his expression set hard. “The repercussions of his success would be disastrous.”

Jade only knew Fromme Bagita by reputation, but what she had heard was disturbing. Overbearing, ruthless determination and an elitist, somebody she had no wish of running into. The crown had been decommissioned by the Order of the Saints more than a hundred years ago. Most believed the Order did it to solidify their control. What did they gain by putting a puppet on the throne again?

As if reading her mind, Luc said, “What kind of deal could he have possibly struck that would be beneficial to the Order?”

“Certainly one that does not serve the people,” Jacob said.

A sneer pulled at Luc’s top lip. “One that betrays the Bringers to the church.”

Nobody spoke as their retinue crept forward, each lost in their thoughts. The responsibilities of being a Bringer weighed on Jade. She and Ravyn’s search for information in the Council chamber and the looming expedition into the Shadow World made the current problem of Fromme Bagita seem less pressing.

She exhaled and tried to relax. The last time she’d been on the grounds of Illuma Grand, she had been seven. Never venturing onto the property, she’d played near the estate’s boundaries, usually when she was hiding from Rell. Something about the place had called to her. Now she understood that even then she had been a Bringer and this was part of her heritage.

“No matter the strife within the Council,” Ravyn said, “one can’t argue that Illuma Grand is magnificent.”

Jade nodded. Symmetrical trees lined the cobblestone roadway, spaced equal distance apart. Between their foliage she caught glimpses of carved statues in various poses. Flowers lined the walkways and marble columns towered over the heads of the approaching crowd. “It is truly beautiful.”

A group of women stepped aside to let them pass. Most appeared to be near her age and all wore drab gray gowns. A redheaded woman glided behind the group, following them as they passed. Something about the woman struck a familiar cord with Jade. She struggled to place the woman, searching her memories.

A smile spread like thick molasses across the woman’s mouth. She grabbed the arm of one of the women standing at the edge of the group and pulled her down the path, following them. When she moved level with Jade, the redhead stopped and held up her right hand, her palm facing away from Jade.

“Somebody you know?” Ravyn asked.

“I can’t believe it.” Jade stared at the familiar greeting and then returned the salute, smiling. “I played with her as a child.” She lowered her hand and looked at Ravyn. “That girl was my only friend—Beatrice.” She hadn’t spoken the name in years. “She would sneak me food and we would play for hours at the edge of the grounds. Until I found the chapel in the woods, Illuma had seemed like the only place safe from the Bane.”

As the line moved forward, she glanced over her shoulder. Beatrice and her friend had fallen behind, but still watched her.

“Perhaps you will have a chance to get reacquainted,” Ravyn said.

“I’d like that.”

The party stopped at the base of the wide marble steps. Stable hands waited to take their horses, each one dressed in gray tunics and britches.

Luc dismounted and moved around his horse to stand below her. He placed a hand on either side of her thigh. “May I help you down?”

Her first reaction was to say no and to attempt the dismount herself. But when she glanced around, she noticed that a large crowd had gathered. Several pointed at them or whispered behind their hands. The throbbing in her lower back spread up her spine when she twisted toward Luc. This confirmed it. She was not a horse person.

Misinterpreting her grimace, Luc smirked. “I promise I won’t kiss you?”

“And why is that?” She gritted her teeth and leaned slightly forward. “Do you think your kisses frighten me?”

He grabbed her by the waist and with what seemed like no effort at all, eased her from the mount. Jade’s body slid down his, gliding along hard muscle before alighting on the ground. Vibrations rippled through her legs, threatening to set her off balance. His hands lingered at her waist and his face hovered inches above hers. “I certainly hope not.”

It was impossible to look away from his fiery stare. Blue eyes peered into hers, stirring all the emotions she tried desperately to keep harnessed. With a slow downward stroke along his biceps, she lowered her hands and stepped back.

Tremors rippled along her legs, setting her off balance. She stumbled, knocking into the horse, but Luc caught her. The animal shifted. Jade placed her hand on its haunch to not only steady the horse, but her nerves as well. Luc’s hold loosened and he lowered his hands to his side.

“You do like to pox me, don’t you?”

He gave her an innocent smile. “I have done nothing.”

With all the calm she could muster, she straightened her aching spine, lifted her skirts and stepped around a pile of horse dung. She brushed past him, lowering her voice. “Perhaps that is your problem.”

Not waiting to hear his response, she moved to stand next to Ravyn. She saw Ravyn look behind them and then back at Jade. She cleared her throat but said nothing. A thin smile played on her mouth and she looped her arm through Jade’s in a show of amused support.

Jacob led the procession through manicured grounds and into the Grand Entrance. It was everything Jade had dreamed it to be. Polished stone walls soared to unimaginable heights. Archways branched off into what looked like endless lines and disappeared down murky corridors. Sunlight cast tall domes of light through each of the arched windows, creating brilliant white pools on the marble floors.

The upper class and merchants claimed most of the attention in the hall, while the common folk crowded against the walls, seemingly happy to just be near the promised pageantry.

Somewhere beyond her sight, a choir sang. The magical music lilted around them, blending with the ever-growing din. Twenty-foot-tall tapestries hung on the towering walls, each representing a different hunting scene. Jade examined the hangings. The works, though beautiful, could have been hanging in any castle in the kingdom and seemed inconsequential to the Bringers’ history.

Her gaze tracked down the wall and stopped on an ornate tile set to the right of one of the hangings. She squinted and stepped toward it, trying to get a better look.

“What is it?” Ravyn said, moving up beside her.

“Do you see that tile?” She motioned with her head, not wanting to point in case somebody watched them. “The one beside the tapestry of the boar hunt?”

“Yes.”

“I recognize that symbol from the book I sold to the curiosity shop.”

Ravyn scrutinized the square. “I’ve seen that before too. On my tome from the abbey.”

As Jade glanced around to make sure they weren’t drawing attention to themselves, her eyes landed on the next tapestry. She flicked her head toward the hanging. “Look.”

Another square with a different symbol peeked from behind the curtain. “It means something.” Ravyn’s eyebrows arched upward. “It can’t be a coincidence.”

“I agree.” Jade dipped her head, indicating the hangings further down the wall. “Each tapestry has a symbol.”

“What are you looking at?” Rhys wrapped his arm around Ravyn’s waist.

She leaned into him. “Those tiles beside the tapestries.”

Before he could answer, Luc and Jacob joined them.

“What are we looking at?” Luc asked.

Rhys pointed and Ravyn slapped his hand down. “Don’t point.”

“See the tiles beside the hangings?” Jade said.

The men examined the square, each nodding.

“Those are Bringer symbols.” Rhys glanced at Jacob. “Have you ever noticed them before?”

“Walked by these old hangings a thousand times and never noticed those once,” he said.

“Probably because we didn’t know what they were until we had the books.” Luc nodded. “I bet nobody else has noticed, either.”

“Jacob.” A male voice boomed behind them. They all turned in unison to face the man. “And Lord Blackwell.”

The approaching man had to be Fromme Bagita. A sumptuous scarlet brocade and fur robe framed a wide chest laden with heavy gold chains and a large jewel-encrusted medallion.

“Fromme, just the man I wanted to see.” Jacob clasped his hands behind his back in a show of displeasure. “As I recall, the Council voted down the proposal to open the doors of Illuma Grand. And yet when I arrived, the entire county was streaming through the gates.”

“Jacob.” The man’s tone held no hint of an apology. “If you had remained at Illuma Grand, you would have known about the secondary assemblage I called.”

“Why?”

Fromme looked perplexed. “Why what?”

“Why did you call a secondary assemblage? We voted and the answer was no.”

“Yes, well, Lady Whitefeld hinted to me that she’d had a change of heart about her vote.” He shrugged. “Poor dear, what did you expect me to do? It was her dying wish.”

“Lady Whitefeld is dead?” Luc asked.

Even though Jade knew nothing about the workings within Illuma Grand, Fromme Bagita’s story seemed laced with lies.

“Died in her sleep last week.” He gave an exaggerated sigh. “She’ll be sorely missed.”