Lines of Fire (The Guild House - Defenders Hall) (17 page)

“Swordmaster?”

Sando slumped on the chair. “Not this time. Valdon is gone. He wasn’t in his cell this morning.”

Alric retreated to the bed. “Petan?”

“Who knows?” A frown furrowed the older man’s brow. “Why him? He was banished weeks ago.”

Alric explained the connection between the two men. “Kalia has seen Petan in the halls at least once since he left. She said he knows a secret way to enter the Hall.”

“Matters may be coming to a point where a challenge must be made.”

“When?”

“No one feels angry enough yet.”

Alric rested his hands on his thighs. “Kalia and I need another assignment. We need to be away from the Swordmaster’s sight for a time.”

“Why?”

“He has threatened to break his bond and choose another mate. Lasara, Kalia’s younger sister wants to run. We fear she’ll be the next daughter the Swordmaster offers Petan. Kalia will tell her about the desert riders and Jens.”

Sando nodded. “Kalia spoke to me about her sister and I have a plan to help the young woman escape.”

“Good. I’ll tell her.”

“Tell me what.” The door closed with a click.

Sando rose. “Tell your sister to come to the courtyard after moonrise. Our patrol has the gate. Ganor will escort her to the pasture. A travel pack, a map of the southern quadrant and a steady bihorn will be waiting.”

“Tonight? She’s frightened because the Swordmaster will name her bondmate tomorrow.”

Sando nodded. “Have her meet Rila outside the baths for the Women’s Quarters. She’ll escort her through the corridors.” He grinned. “Some of us know a few of the unused passages.”

Kalia nodded. “I’ll go to her now.”

Once she left, Alric nodded to the patrol leader. “Any ideas for an assignment. Being away from here when the Swordmaster learns his younger daughter has vanished is a good idea.”

Sando nodded. “There’s one I’m considering. The Justicars came to me rather than the Swordmaster. Eastern quadrant. Farmers losing produce and livestock during raids. Travelers stopped and robbed. Women raped. The worse things happen five or six days travel from here. Want me to send out someone to investigate and discover where the outlaws are hiding.”

“Should we try to capture the leaders?”

“How?”

“Send pairs out to surround the area and pick a central spot for them to meet.”

Sando frowned. “Don’t think that’s wise yet. Just you and Kalia go.”

“What about the Swordmaster?”

“Won’t tell him until we have something to report.” He patted Alric’s shoulder. “How soon will you be free?”

“Possibly tomorrow.”

“I’ll check back then.”

Alric watched Sando walk away. Had Valdon found some way to join these outlaws? Did they have someone inside Defenders Hall providing them with information?

* * *

Kalia hurried to the Women’s Quarters via a seldom used corridor she had discovered years ago. She stepped inside and spotted Lasara. With a nod Kalia followed her sister down the hall to the empty room that had been hers.

“What’s happening?” Lasara asked.

“Escape plan for you.” Kalia quickly outlined the things Sando and Alric had told her. Kalia crouched and began to draw in the dusty floor. “These are the halls you and Rila should use to reach the courtyard. Once you leave ride south. Seek the desert riders and ask for Jens. Tell him Alric sent you. Alric believes he’s his brother fostered to a shepherd by our father.”

Lasara’s deep green eyes filled with tears. “Thank you. Thank Alric. I’ll miss you. Will I ever see you again?”

“Just believe you will.”

“Does Alric really think this Jens is his brother?”

Kalia nodded. “He felt a connection between them when they dueled. If you can learn if Alric’s suspicions are true he would thank you.”

Lasara reached beneath her tunic. “Let me show you the bracelets I found when I cleared your closet. A piece of the flooring came loose. I found these stuffed in the small cranny.”

Kalia studied the copper bracelets. “I remember reading something in the Archives about copper bracelets but I can’t remember what or where.”

“I wish I knew who hid them there. They must have belonged to some Defender bondmates.”

“Keep them. When you find the bondmate of your dreams, use them instead of the ordinary brass ones.”

“I will.”

Kalia hugged her sister. “As you travel, be careful. Hide by day and ride at night. Stay alert.”

“I promise and I’ll find a way to send a message to you. Maybe I can discover if this Jens is Alric’s sib. I like your bondmate.”

“So do I. If you can learn about the relationship you’ll help him redeem a promise he made to his father.” Kalia went to the door. “I’d better return and hear what the Senior Medico says about Alric’s condition.”

As Kalia scurried along the corridor to reach the forecourt, the gong assembling all the Defenders present in the Hall clanged. What should she do? Should she accept the call and go to the salle or hurry across the courtyard and run to Healers Hall? While she paused to decide, the door of the Swordmaster’s office opened.

The leader of the Defenders stepped into the corridor. “Good. You’re coming with me.”

She stared. “I’ll stand with my patrol.”

His laughter sounded like the braying of a cart beast, the stolid animals used to pull wagons. “Won’t be yours much longer. Though your bondmate lingers on this side of the abyss he will soon die.”

Kalia stared at the floor. He didn’t know that Alric grew stronger every hour. She wanted to gloat but kept the information inside. “Until that day I’ll stand with Sando’s patrol.”

“Doesn’t matter where you stand. Be prepared to face a duel. Ilna stands accused. Her fate is in your hands.”

“Of what is she accused?”

“Betrayal. Seduction. Attack with malice. Failure to obey orders.” He dug his fingers into Kalia’s arm and marched her to the entrance to the salle. “Go stand with your patrol until you are named. Though your lines darken and protect you from my control in this you will obey.”

Kalia broke away and ran to where Sando’s patrol stood. What could she do?

“Why aren’t you with Alric?” Sando asked.

“I went to give Lasara the instructions and stayed longer than was wise. The Swordmaster dragged me here.” She rubbed her arms.

“Any idea why he summoned us to assemble?”

“He plans to force a duel.”

“Who will be the contestants?”

Kalia felt acid rise in her throat. “Ilna. Me. I don’t want to duel.”

Sando scowled. “Why does he want you to fight?”

She rattled off the charges she had been told. Though she wanted to tell him about her lines, she refrained. “Are they really grounds for a duel?”

“All and defeat means banishment. Did she really attack you and your brother?”

“Yes. Why does the Swordmaster name this as my duel? Robec can be the dueler.”

Sando groaned. “He can’t challenge her until three months have passed since he stood as her champion. I doubt any man will accept her call for a champion.”

Rocks tumbled in Kalia’s gut. How could she fight a duel when she hated the thought of facing another with sword and knife? Would the duel increase the darkness of her lines? She and Alric’s encounter had partially banished the taint but some remained and would grow because of her fear and anger. She stared at the lines.

The Swordmaster followed by his seconds strode into the salle. Kalia stared into the stands. Students, women and those not assigned to a patrol sat on the benches. None of the other Guilds were represented. Why?

The Swordmaster raised his hands. “Ilna, present yourself.”

The young woman sashayed from the stands. “Do I get to choose my mate today?”

“Not today or ever. You stand charged of the following offenses.” He recited the list.

She laughed. “What was wrong with kissing Robec? He stood as my champion. As for Kalia, the kiss was to congratulate her for deftly stealing the man I was promised. Did she complain?”

“Others witnessed the attack. Should I call them to testify?”

Ilna raised a fisted hand. “You don’t understand what happened. People only tell you what you want to hear. The man who will be Swordmaster commands my loyalty.”

Robec leaned on the railing separating the stands from the floor. “I ordered no such thing. Since you chose me as your champion, I can’t challenge you no matter how I wish for the chance.” He vaulted to the floor. “Kalia, unfortunately you must face her.”

Sando clasped her shoulders. “You must or Alric will be ordered to leave the Infirmary. He and Robec will be forced to duel again.”

Kalia rubbed her hands. Though she hated the thought she had no idea of Alric’s present condition. Though he healed, he hadn’t been discharged. For him to defeat her brother would infuriate the Swordmaster.

“I will face Ilna in the circle.” She forced her voice to emerge emotionless and clear.

The other woman’s laughter resounded from the salle walls. “When you lose, all you possess will be mine.”

The three other patrols left the arena floor and sat in the stands. Kalia drew deep breaths. What if she failed?

Sando bent his head closer to her ear, “Be careful. She may have a blade like the one Valdon used. Several times she’s been missing from the Hall for days.”

Kalia nodded. “Other than during practice, I’ve never dueled.”

“You know the forms. Remember Alric’s trick if you have any skill reading the lines. Haven’t seen her fight but I’ve a feeling she’s erratic and not skilled. I know she refused her father’s offer to teach her.”

Kalia unsheathed her sword and knife. She walked to the circle where the other woman waited with the Swordmaster and his seconds.

“The Left Hand will judge.”

Kalia stepped over the barrier to enter the circle. She faced Ilna. I can do this, she repeated silently until she felt confidence infuse her thoughts.

“Let the bout begin.”

Ilna charged forward. Kalia knocked her opponent’s sword aside and evaded a knife thrust. At first her moves were defensive. Then the rhythm of the sword dance took over. Practiced but seldom used moves became natural. She watched Ilna’s lines of fire and began to sense what her opponent planned. Kalia struck her opponent’s knife and knocked it from the young woman’s hand. Next Kalia sent Ilna’s sword flying from the circle. Ilna dashed to retrieve the weapon and stepped over the barrier.

“Out," the Left Hand shouted. Duel ended. Kalia wins.”

“Not fair,” Ilna screeched.

“You left the circle.”

“To get my sword. Can’t fight without one.”

The Left Hand confiscated the blade. “You know the rules. You’ve dueled before. You are the loser and are banished. A bihorn and a pack with enough supplies for five days awaits you at the gate.”

“Where will I go?”

“The choice is yours.”

Ilna stooped and picked up her knife. The blade flew toward Kalia who fell to the sand and rolled across the ground.

Sando helped her up. “You all right?”

“She missed.”

The Right and Left Hand grasped Ilna’s arms and led her away. Kalia brushed sand from her clothes and walked with Sando’s patrol from the salle. Behind her she heard congratulations from the members of the patrol and a few shouts from the stands.

Once they reached the courtyard, Kalia thanked Sando. She jogged to the tunnel and ran to Healers Hall. At the door to Alric’s room, she eased the wooden barrier open. He sat on a chair beside the bed. “Everything set for your sister?” he asked.

She nodded, “She knows what to do.” For a moment she hesitated. “I fought a duel.”

“You what?”

She sat on the floor beside the chair and told him about her afternoon and the meeting with Ilna in the salle. She held out her hands. “The dark areas on my lines have grown.”

“I can see. Why?”

“My anger for being tricked into the duel and the feelings the fight with Ilna raised.”

He leaned toward her. “We can unite.”

She shook her head. “Not yet. As soon as we are off on our next assignment.”

“Why not now?”

She stared at her hands. “The Swordmaster will know. He forced me into the duel with Ilna. I think he knows what emotions do to the blight.”

Alric nodded. “I fear you’re right.”

She knew she was. Something puzzled her. She thought of her childhood. Had Petan been the one to infect the leader of the Defender? She hadn’t liked or trusted him from the first meeting.

Chapter
12

Alric stretched and turned on his side to stare at Kalia. In sleep, she looked at peace, except for the dark smudges on her lines of fire. He hated to wake her but noises from beyond the door predicted they soon would be roused by Healer trainees. He brushed her hair from her face. Her eyes opened and she gasped.