Storm Surge (26 page)

Maiten burst out laughing. “No she won’t, she likes you too much.”

“She will, and once she’s done with me, she’ll come after you. Mark my words, Maiten. You’ve sentenced us both to a messy, painful death. Well, you’ve sentenced me, at least. She likes
you
too much to get rid of you.” Laughing ruined the severity of his threat, but Kalen couldn’t help it. He bent over, chuckling until his chest hurt and he struggled to breathe.

Breton’s startled expression made Kalen laugh even harder.

“You’re in a good mood,” Captain Silvereye said. “Care informing the rest of us what is so funny?”

Kalen couldn’t stop laughing, so he waved his hand at Maiten, who clapped a hand over his mouth, a few snorted chortles escaping.

“Would both of you stop that?” Breton muttered. “How undignified.”

After catching his breath, Kalen glanced at Captain Silvereye. “Is it still snowing?”

“No, it stopped a few hours ago.”

Glaring at the Shadow Captain only made the man’s grin widen. Kalen grumbled, “That sounds like I was asleep for a lot of hours.”

“You were asleep for a few hours yesterday, and you slept right through the night. You needed it,” the Mithrian replied, unrepentant. “How are you feeling?”

Kalen yawned, wincing a little over the lost time. “Better. What’s going on? Wait, first, come here, Delaven.”

The young Mithrian stepped forward. “Sir?”

Kalen held out his hand. “Better get this over with. It can’t be comfortable for you either,” he admitted wryly.

“It’s tolerable, sir,” was the solemn reply.

When they clasped hands, Kalen was ready for the sensation, managing to sit straight despite his every muscle wanting to relax. He squeezed the colt’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to finally met you, foal. I’ve heard a lot about you from your dam.”

Delaven’s eyes widened. “Nothing bad, sir?”

With a snort, Kalen glanced at Breton, watching for a reaction. “As if your dam would say anything bad about her precious colt—or your sire.”

Breton stared at Maiten and sighed.

Wrinkling his nose, Kalen turned to Maiten. “You told him. I wanted to see his expression. I’m hurt, Maiten. I’m absolutely devastated.”

Maiten doubled over and shook from the force of his mirth. “S-sorry,” his Guardian gasped out.

“Mother won’t be able come,” Delaven said in a quiet, disappointed voice. “That’s how I managed to join the Crimson Eye. She was too busy.”

Kalen snorted. “She’s going to tan your hide if she hears you say such things. Maiten, have you ever seen her too busy for one of her foals in her life?”

“Never,” Maiten choked out between chuckles.

Kalen somehow managed to keep from bursting out into laughter again. “Delaven, I have it on the highest authority that you’ve been tricked. I give it a month before she shows up ready to teach us all a lesson or two.”

“Who are you and what have you done with Captain Blackhand?” Silvereye asked.

Forcing a cough so he wouldn’t snicker, Kalen met the Shadow Captain’s gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“He can’t be in a sour mood all of the time, sir,” Maiten choked out.

“Interesting.”

“What have I missed when I was asleep?” Kalen asked to turn the conversation back to more important matters.

Silvereye gestured to a stool. “Come sit and I’ll fill you in.”

While the tent wasn’t cold, Kalen wrapped the blanket around his shoulders and stood, joining the Mithrian at his table. “You mean I won’t have to try to beat information out of you?”

“Not this time,” was the amused reply. “We were discussing our next move. The swarm has upset almost all of our plans. Currently, we’re considering circling around Morinvale once the snow melts to confirm what happened to the Wolf Blades, if we can. I don’t like the idea of leaving a broken money company without anyone able to fight against them. It wouldn’t surprise me if they turn into well-armed and better trained raiders on their way back home.”

“The villages and towns would be wiped out,” Kalen predicted, leaning over the map. “I’m impressed you have a map of Kelsh at all. Who’d you steal it from? They’re notoriously strict about who has maps.”

The Kelshite’s restriction on maps was as old as the Covenant, something that annoyed Kalen to no end. He had maps, but it had cost the Rift a small fortune to get them. Silvereye’s maps were older, but if Kalen’s memory served, they were accurate enough.

“Me? Steal a map? Would I ever do such a thing?” the Shadow Captain replied with an arched brow.

“He stole it, didn’t he, Moritta?” Kalen asked, turning to his new Guardian.

“He would never steal anything. He had Lyeth steal it, sir.”

“Lyeth?”

“One of the officers, sir,” Moritta replied.

“He’ll be one of yours soon enough. I intend to give you him and Moritta to begin with until you can select those you like working with as your officers,” Silvereye added.

“Well, Lyeth stole you a dated map,” Kalen reported, making a thoughtful noise as he looked over the notations on the parchment. “I’d estimate this is at least twenty years old. I can get you a better map. Breton, I’m going to need to make a plate at some point soon.”

The thought of bleeding on wood or metal to forge a pair of plates, and then bleed some more so he could send one to the Rift left him queasy. The last time, he had created a plate for his Mithrian
Akakashani
, though he’d done it in secret to prevent Maiten from knowing his trips to Mithrias weren’t necessary. It was the only way he knew of to send instantaneous messages anywhere.

“Wouldn’t it be better to wait at least a few days?” Breton asked.

“I’ll consider it,” he replied. “So, if you’re planning on hunting down the Wolf Blades, what are you going to do with them once you’ve found them?”

“That’s what we’re discussing. The obvious option is to eliminate them—especially the Danarite priests. They’re the dangerous threat. Normally, I would offer them a chance to be absorbed by our company, but I doubt our folks would accept it. It’s too well known what they were a part of. If we face them, it’ll be a slaughter, even if we don’t want it to become one. Too many are angry over what they’ve done.”

“I number among them,” Kalen warned, unable to keep his tone from turning cold. “If we meet them again, they’ll pay for their crimes in blood.”

Breton and Maiten exchanged glances, and Kalen glared at both of them. When neither spoke, he said, “If I hear so much as a single mumble that I can’t handle myself…”

“I was more worried that you wouldn’t leave any for us,” Maiten replied meekly.

“Don’t try to feed me your horse’s shit, Maiten,” Kalen said, jabbing Maiten’s ribs with a finger. “If the mercenaries won’t toss the Wolf Blades into the deeps, and the Danarites with them, I’ll do it myself.”

“We’re a little far from the deeps to throw them in it. It’d be a lot of unnecessary work for the horses,” Breton said, his tone as neutral as his expression.

“What do you suggest then?”

“I’d be satisfied with cutting them into small pieces,” his Guardian replied with a shrug.

“See, Maiten, listen to Breton. If we can’t throw them into the deeps, we can chop them up. I can be satisfied with that.” Kalen straightened, looking down at the map. “Though we really aren’t too far from Rufket; there’s a pass down into the Rift a week or two from here. We could march them right off the trails there.”

“Feeding them for two weeks just to kill them is unnecessary waste, sir,” Moritta said. “Perhaps we should consider drowning them.”

“You’re a bloodthirsty lot today,” Captain Silvereye said, shaking his head. “We will not be participating in any unplanned, accidental, or unsanctioned raids against the Wolf Blades. If we find them, we’ll create a proper strategy. Let’s not get any of us killed unnecessarily.”

Kalen wrinkled his nose, pointing at Morinvale on the map. “What information do we have on the Wolf Blades and their Danarite allies?”

“Absolutely nothing. Between the storm and the swarm, I haven’t been willing to risk any scouts to go looking for them. Once the snow melts, which should be by tomorrow morning at the rate it’s going, we’ll march north and take a look. With luck, we’ll spot them before they spot us. We’ll need to get viable numbers and information on them and their hire, but that’s a job for Lyeth.”

“If the Rift requested information on the Wolf Blades from the Shadow Council, do you think it would help?” Kalen asked.

“Considering the kidnapping of the Rift King, I’m sure you could get full cooperation from the Shadow Council, but I sincerely doubt you’ll receive relevant information,” Silvereye warned.

Kalen snorted, shaking his head at the aspect of playing a kidnapped monarch, although it had been true enough—twice. The memory made him shudder. “If your scheme is going to work, the Rift will have to know. Breton, since it can’t be in my handwriting for very obvious reasons, you’re in charge of writing missives to the relevant kingdoms.”

Silvereye rolled up Kelsh’s map and spread out a map of the entire continent, looking it over with a frown. “How do you intend to get these missives sent? Even if we sent messengers on the fastest horses we have, it’d take months to get anyone near the Rift.”

“That’s my job,” Kalen replied with a smug grin. “But, there’s this to consider: while we need to route the Danarites and this company elsewhere, our real target is Elenrune. I need to find out what His Royal Pain-in-my-Horse’s-Ass is doing. If I can confirm who hired the Wolf Blades, this will be easier for us to resolve.”

Captain Silvereye grunted. “You mean to confirm the Kelsh king’s innocence?”

“No, I mean to confirm his
guilt
.” Snorting, Kalen reached out and grabbed the map of Kelsh, spreading it out over Silvereye’s map. He pointed at Elenrune. “I have no doubts that Danar and Kelsh are working together. I’m witness to that, as is Satrin.”

Silvereye rose, crossed his arms over his chest, and stared down at the circle denoting Elenrune on the map. “We have a notable bartering chip since we have his daughter in our custody.”

“We have his daughter?” Kalen blurted. “Hellfires, you captured the Kelshite Princess? She’s the heir to the crown. What in the thrice-cursed deeps is she…” Sucking in a breath, he sat straighter. “That blond-haired woman is Kelsh’s Heir?”

Breton cleared his throat. “Your mare for the taking, if you so decide.”

Heat born of both embarrassment and annoyance washed over Kalen’s face. “That’s not funny.”

“It wasn’t supposed to be, colt,” was the quiet reply.

“Why don’t you Court Mate with her then if you want her? I don’t! Have you
seen
her?” Kalen flexed his hand, fighting the urge to slam his fist against something. “Her?
Her?
Of all of the people, Kelsh’s Heir is
her
?”

“I see your first meeting with her was less than favorable,” Silvereye said.

“Honey didn’t like her,” Kalen grumbled. While it was true, he had other reasons to dislike the woman, and the way she’d looked at him with pity topped the list.

Kalen didn’t want—or need—the sympathies of some noble woman without substance.

“Judging from your expression, foal, you didn’t like her either,” Breton said, his tone amused. “I’ve had the misfortune of speaking with her. I’m supposed to be teaching her Mithrian.”

Shuddering, he stared at his senior-most Guardian. “You? Teach Mithrian?
You?
”

“Be nice,” Breton muttered.

Maiten laughed. “I was occupied looking for you, Kalen. It’s not his fault. He was the best choice. Have you given her any lessons yet?”

“No.”

“Please don’t,” Kalen begged. “If she’s really Aelthor’s daughter, and if she’s nearly as aristocratic as I suspect, the only people she’ll listen to is Captain Silvereye and me. You’re probably beneath her.”

“So I gathered,” Breton replied.

“Throw stones for it, Maiten?” Kalen glanced hopefully at his Guardian.

“And miss the chance to watch you put that mare in her place? Absolutely not,” Maiten replied, grinning.

“Were you aware that she was headed to Morinvale?” Kalen asked after a long moment of silence.

Everyone stared at him with widening eyes.

“I was not,” Captain Silvereye said in a curt tone. “Explain, Blackhand.”

“She told me that’s where she was headed when Honey led her to me. I only thought of her as a Knight, and frankly spoken, I didn’t feel much regret sending her off to face her luck.”

Breton and Maiten once again exchanged looks. It was Breton who snorted and said, “You were worried about the village in the swarm’s path more than a Knight frightened you.”

“She didn’t seem like much of a threat,” Kalen replied, careful to keep his tone even to mask his growing twinge of anxiety.

Maiten watched him with narrowed eyes, but said nothing.

“She’s not a threat to you or anyone,” Breton said firmly. “She’s not interested in doing anything that doesn’t directly serve her immediately. She is entirely unsuitable for being your Queen.”