Lines of Fire (The Guild House - Defenders Hall) (13 page)

“Even if there are children?” she asked.

“We try to keep the patrol staffed with enough pairs so those with small children remain in the Hall and are on leave until the children are old enough to enter training. If the parents must take an assignment, there is always someone staying behind. The children stay with these members. During our last tour we had three pairs on leave.”

“Is your patrol the only one that does this?”

“Don’t know. I’ve been part of Sando’s patrol since I left the training school.”

“Other than clothes is there anything else we’ll need?”

“Maps of the roads the peddler used but Sando will have the supply master provide them. You should bring anything you need for amusement. The Artisans we’ll travel with this time are tinkers rather than performers. Traveling with that segment of the Artisans can be lively.”

“Will there be a Healer with us?”

“They only leave their Hall when they have reports their service is needed. We have an aid kit and there are herb men and women in the villages who have some skill and were trained at the Healer’s Hall.” He winked. “You and I will be there to stop excessive bleeding.”

“Should we? Our ability is looked on as evil.”

Alric stepped back. “Who told you that?”

“The Swordmaster forbade Robec, Lasara and me to talk about using our lines for any reason. He said I would be banished if the other Defenders knew what I could do.”

“My patrol knows about me and is pleased. I’ve saved several of them.” Was this one of the reasons the Swordmaster wanted to banish him? Alric wondered why the leader of the Defenders would scorn something that could help the patrols. Could the Swordmaster read the lines?

Kalia walked to the door. “I’ll go for my pack and arrange to have my things packed and join you. Where?”

“The stable.” He watched her walk away. During their days of travel he intended to find ways to gain her trust. She had slept most of the night in his arms and feeling her body curled into his had felt right. Their lines of fire had flowed in harmony. He was heart bound to her and he suspected that the reverse was true. Until she was willing to speak of the bonding aloud, he would wait.

He exited the meeting room and strode to the supply depot. Sando stood in the doorway. He turned to Alric. “You’re set. Basic supplies ordered.”

Alric nodded. “Did you include hunting and fishing supplies? If I remember the farms in that area are poor.”

“Snares and fish traps included. Also dart throwers.”

“Good. Make sure there’s plenty of ground kafa. Kalia drinks several mugs to wake.” Alric paused. “And maps.” He entered the supply depot and pointed to the one on the wall indicating the area he wanted. The map showed marks for farms and villages.

The agent pulled a tube from the shelf. “Here you are. If you find new places, mark them.”

Sando walked beside Alric. “Pack beasts are on the way. They’ll be loaded by the time you pack. Where’s your mate?”

“Gone to the Women’s Quarters for her pack and to arrange for her belongings to be delivered to my suite. Can you check them in?”

“No trouble.”

Alric strode to his suite and examined his pack. He dashed to the patrol bathing room for shirts, two vests and pair of trousers. Having time to wait he went to the refectory kitchen for two noonings. He selected a flask of kafa for Kalia and one of citren for himself. As he strode to the stable he thought of ways to gain her trust.

* * *

Kalia left the meeting room and dashed along the twisting corridors to reach the Women’s Quarters. A sense of freedom filled her. For several weeks she would be away from the Swordmaster and his threats. Could she learn more about the lines of fire and the reaction she’d noticed between hers and Alric’s while they traveled together?

Waking in his arms had made her feel safe. The moment had lasted a brief time and brought a yearning to join with him. Could she act on these new and exciting moments before she understood what was occurring with their lines?

She opened the door into the lounge and stopped short. Lasara ran to meet her. “Why are you here?”

“To fetch clothes for an assignment and to arrange for my things to be packed and moved to Alric’s suite.”

“You mean you’re not staying here.”

“Not the way of his patrol.”

“Do they have their own Women’s Quarter?”

“Bonded pairs live together and those who are waiting to find their mates have their own chambers.”

“Wow. How nice. I’ll pack your other things and call for someone to take them to his place.”

“Thanks. Why aren’t you in class?”

Lasara scowled. “Father decided to test the young men. I’m as skilled as any of them. He said there was no need to test me since my bonding will take place soon.”

“What?”

Lasara nodded. “That’s what he said. He’ll won’t tell me more, he’s not taking chances this time.”

Kalia drew a deep breath. Surely their father couldn’t mean to bond his younger daughter to Petan. But Petan was gone and banished. “Did he say who?”

“No.” Lasara walked away. “I know this much. If I don’t like who he chooses I’ll run and I won’t be caught like you were.”

“I’ll help you.” Kalia caught up. “When I return I’ll visit and we can make plans.”

“Good. All I want to do is join a patrol and duel.”

Kalia patted her sister’s arm. Though she didn’t understand Lasara’s love of the duel she would support her desire to become a functioning member of a patrol.

As they walked down the hall to Kalia’s sleeping chamber, Ilna emerged from hers. She halted with her hands on her hips. Kalia noticed a silvery sheen to Ilna’s pale pink lines.

“Thief.” Ilna spat. “You took the mate promised to me. You won’t have him for long.” She laughed. “He can’t even stand to kiss you. You’ll be sorry when I’m the Swordmaster’s mate.”

“Why would my father want to choose you?” Kalia asked.

“Who wants an old man past his prime? He won’t be Swordmaster forever and Robec doesn’t have the nerve to fight for his right. You’ll learn who will rule here. Won’t be long before there’s a change.” She stepped closer, grabbed Kalia and kissed her. “Pass my gift to your bondmate.”

For a moment Kalia was too stunned to move. She wiped her hand across her mouth. “I’ll do no such thing.” She pushed past and dashed into her chamber. Ilna’s laughter followed.

Lasara scowled. “That was ugly. Why did she kiss you?”

“I don’t know.” Kalia sank on the bed. “Oh, no.” Was that a dark spot on her lines like the one she’d seen on Robec’s? Anger and fear spouted like water from a broken pipe. The darkness spread. Slowly she calmed her escalating emotions and the spot stopped enlarging.

She filled her pack with Lasara’s help. To the clothes she added a record book she’d taken from the Archives in hopes of learning more about the lines. Maybe there was something about the infection Ilna had passed to her.

“Is there anything you don’t want taken to Alric’s suite?” Lasara asked.

“Leave all the bedding except the quilt here. The rest of my clothes and things from the closet go. Pack all my soap, lotions, jewelry and knickknacks. She lifted the box containing the tarnished bracelet. “Don’t take this.”

Lasara peered inside. “Where did you get this?”

“Father. He wanted me to give it to Alric.”

“How odd. It’s ugly. I’ll toss it in the trash heap.”

Kalia laughed. “A fitting place. While I’m gone, be careful. Don’t fight with Father. Where’s Mother?”

“Visiting him.”

Kalia shuddered. “So soon after her last time.” Though she feared for her mother, nothing would change the older woman’s devotion to her bondmate. She hugged her sister. “As soon as we return I’ll visit you. Take care of Mother.”

“I will.”

Kalia hoisted her pack and hurried to the stable. Alric led two bihorns outside. Mist had been saddled.

“Am I late?”

“No. We’re meeting the others at the Artisan’s gave.” He stowed her pack and blanket roll behind the saddle before giving her a leg up. He handed her a cloth wrapped packet and a flask. “Nooning and kafa.”

“Thank you.”

A stableman led a string of loaded pack animals to where they waited. Alric tied the lead rope to Storm Cloud’s saddle and led the string into the tunnel. Kalia followed the train.

By the time they reached the Artisan’s gate the rest of the party had arrived. Alric transferred the lead to one of the Artisans’ steed. He led the group onto the road with Kalia at the rear of the procession.

As they rode, she wondered what the assignment would bring. Could she and Alric find a way to break the uneasy truce? She liked him. With the sting of a biting bug a thought struck. More than liked but she had to blunt all her emotions, especially now. Still, her thoughts centered on her bondmate.

Alric was the only man she could join her life to forever. So many problems loomed. Her father’s threats against her family, Petan’s continued existence, Ilna’s passing of the infection. How much more trouble would buzz into her life?

When they reached the side trail she caught up with Alric. “Along this road we’ll pass two farms where the peddler stopped and three where he didn’t. There is a small village where I left them.”

Alric motioned to the Justicar. He relayed what Kalia had told him. “She can show us which farms.”

“Our complaint came from a village,” the Senior Judge said. “We’ll listen to the farmers and see if there are other unjust actions. The more we have, the more justified a duel will be.”

At the first farm Kalia was surprised when one of the farm workers tried to make a false claim.

“Sold me a belt that broke the third time I used it,” the man said.

“False,” the Junior Judge said.

The man opened his mouth and only garbled sounds emerged.

Kalia turned to one of the Justicar trainees. “How did he do that?”

“Guild secret,” the girl said.

Before long they left the farm and made camp in a clearing beside the road. Kalia watched how Alric organized the camp, assigning each member to a different task. She went with him to set snares.

“Won’t our catch spoil during the day?” she asked.

“We’ll cook what we find before we leave and the meat will be our nooning.”

“That’s a good idea. The peddlers traveled slowly and every day stew was cooked for the nooning.”

“Then we should catch them before too long.”

As he straightened she admired the way he moved. Her thoughts filled with what ifs. She had a year to find answers and perhaps one of those what ifs would come true.

* * *

At the end of a week of travel with stops to collect complaints, they drew closer to the peddler. Kalia noticed more black spots on her lines of fire. Should she tell Alric she had been infected? What would happen if she gave in to her desire to be in his arms? Would she infect him? She decided to isolate herself more completely from the others.

“We should catch up with the peddler within a day or two.” Alric sat beside her. “According to the map there’s a large village about that distance away.”

They had been on the road for seven days. “Then you’ll duel,” Kalia said.

He nodded. “It’s the way. What troubles you? You’ve grown so quiet.”

She stared at the ground. “I’m worried about my mother. She was with the Swordmaster when I left. I told you how faded her lines are when she returns. She insists she can’t do what she should in the right way because he’s not heart bound to her.”

He reached for her and she evaded him. “Does she love your father?”

“Yes and he believes he’s heart bound to a dead woman.” She closed her eyes. “There are things I should have told you but there hasn’t been a right time.” She leaned back and told him of Ilna’s meeting with Petan and his orders. “He knows how to enter the Hall through a secret entrance. I followed him once years ago.”

“When we return show this entrance to me and I’ll tell Sando.”

“There’s more.” Would he recoil with horror? “When I went for my clothes Ilna attacked me. Look at my lines.”

His expression made her want to cry.

Chapter
9

Alric couldn’t stop his reaction. A chill rolled along his skin. His mouth gaped. The flowing lines on Kalia’s skin showed several dark spots, the same shade of dried blood as on her father’s and Petan’s lines.

“Are you sure Petan is behind this?”

“Who else? He named you, Robec, Sando and Ganor. She failed with everyone but Robec and now me. What am I going to do?”

Her voice became a shrill whisper. Alric watched the darkness spread. What he saw was perhaps deadly. He felt helpless. There had to be a cure. “Let me think about what to do. For now, we need to solve the matter of the peddler.”