The Wayfarer King (16 page)

While Rogan shouted a string of curses and objections at Gavin’s back, Daia exchanged a nod with Dona to confirm she would see the king’s command carried out. She hurried to catch up to him.

The sun was high in the sky by the time they merged onto the main road leading west, though the tall pines and cedars, oaks and ash created a canopy that shaded much of their travel. Squirrels and chipmunks darted across the forest floor, and birds sang merrily from their perches above as the riders made their way toward the Lucky Inn.

“You had to do it,” Daia said. “It was for his own good.”

“Yeh. Doesn’t make it any easier, though. He’ll be plenty red about it.”

They rode on for a few hours, making light conversation. Judging from the way Gavin’s expression changed periodically from a drawn brow and mouth pinched tight to a relaxed gaze and easy smile, Daia suspected that his thoughts see-sawed between concern for his brother and his budding relationship with Feanna. Although Daia would have delighted to see one of her sisters marry the king, she didn’t truly think he would be drawn to either, especially after meeting such a lovely woman as Feanna.

“Don’t worry about Rogan,” she said. “Dona and Nasharla will see him safely to Tern. With so many Sisters around, he’ll be safe.”

“That doesn’t ease my concern for the rest o’my family. Uncles, aunts, cousins — they’re still in danger. I’ll stop and warn my aunt in Ambryce, though she took her husband’s name when she married. Ravenkind may not know of her.”

“You didn’t tell Miss Feanna where we were going, did you?“ she asked.

Gavin shook his head. “She doesn’t know anything yet, aside from I live in Tern.”

“You haven’t told her you’re the king, either?”

“I didn’t want to ruin my chances with her afore she got to know me.”

Daia thought his worries were unfounded. Women would be throwing themselves at him when they found out his bride would become Thendylath’s queen. “I doubt she would reject you for that alone.”

He shrugged.

While Feanna didn’t have the bone structure that set the standard of beauty among the nobility, she had a pleasant face and beautiful eyes. Two of her front teeth had grown in at awkward angles, but they gave her smile a certain charm that Daia was sure would resonate with the common people over whom she would rule as queen. Like Gavin, she wasn’t a perfect doll-like icon of nobility but a real person with true compassion. Both were the sorts of people Thendylath needed on the throne. “She’s a lovely lady,” Daia said.

“Yeh.” A small smile curved his lips.

She wondered if the pang she felt was jealousy toward Feanna or envy for Gavin. There was a time Daia would have liked to have a family of her own, but such things didn’t fit well into the life of a Viragon Sister. The thought of a king’s champion waddling around with a huge belly or babe suckling at her breast nearly made her chuckle aloud. No, that path was lost to Daia for good. She’d embraced her life as a swordswoman and accepted the sacrifices that went with it. “She seems kindly, what with the orphans and all.”

He regarded her with his brow drawn. “Do you have a problem with Feanna? Because if you do, I don’t want to hear—“

“I don’t have a problem with her, Gavin. Why so defensive?”

“I seen you sitting with her, measuring her with your glance. Who I court ain’t your decision to make.”

“
Isn’t
my decision. You misunderstand. My intention was to get to know her so I’ll be better able to champion her against anyone who attempts to dissuade you or challenge your choice. I happen to think she’s a good match for you, and I look forward to getting to know her. Did she tell you about her power?”

“Huh?”

“She tapped into my conduit when we first met. She didn’t mention it to you?”

He shook his head with his brow scrunched in thought. “She wanted to, I think. We ran out o’time.”

“Well, this morning while you were courting our future queen—”

“I never said I was going to marry her,” Gavin said.

Was that blush in his cheeks? “You didn’t have to. We all saw it the moment the two of you set eyes upon each other.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He was blushing deeply now, though he tried to hide his face.

Daia couldn’t hold back her smile. She’d never imagined Gavin Kinshield could be embarrassed about anything. “No need to be abashed, Gavin. It’s wonderful. When two people are right for each other, they know it. I’d say everyone who was in the vicinity knows it. We expected you to sweep her up and carry her off right then and there. Your sister-in-law couldn’t be more pleased.”

“No doubt.”

“Anyway, this morning I asked Rogan about any items he knew of that could be of use — things that were passed down to your father that he might have stored away.”

Gavin looked at her now, the redness fading from his face. “Did he?”

“He had a small chest tucked away with a few odds and ends, including a key. It didn’t fit the chest, and he didn’t know what it was for. It has a bit of rust on it, but it’s in fairly good condition.”

“You have it, then?”

“I do. What’s most interesting about this key is the head. It’s quite ornate.”

“I wonder if it could be for the palace.”

“That was my thought as well, but if your vision was true, then a key isn’t going to make any difference. Ritol wouldn’t have let a mere lock stand between him and King Arek’s magic.”

They stopped and dismounted to stretch their legs and let the horses graze for a moment. Daia pulled the key out of her pack and passed it to him.

“It doesn’t look familiar. Help me for a second, will you?”

Daia reached for Gavin with her conduit, felt him take the connection. His eyelids fluttered as his eyes rolled back. At first, he tugged at her with his usual gentleness, but the sensation intensified as though he couldn’t quite grasp what he was seeking and needed to pull more from her. She remembered the time Jennalia had grasped her conduit with such strength, it frightened her. She was reminded of that sensation now, like sitting on a terrified horse without reins to control its frenzied gallop. The pressure around her chest felt like a giant fist squeezing the air from her lungs. She concentrated on her breathing, deep and steady, while Gavin pulled harder. Something within her felt like it was ripping away. It was all she could do to hold on. If she let go, would she ever come back? Fear bubbled up from deep within her survival instinct.
I trust him. He won’t hurt me. I trust him.
She knew she had to conquer this fear to help him do what he needed to do, but it grew ever closer to panic. It took every bit of her will to keep from yanking herself back and shutting off the connection. A small sound, like a child’s terrified whimper, escaped her throat.

Then she was free. She gasped for breath, knowing even as she did it that her lungs had never been without air.

“I couldn’t get it,” he said. “Could be Ronor never owned this key. You awright?”

“Yes. I’m sorry,” she said. “I couldn’t give you anymore. We can try again later if you want.” Next time, she would try a little harder to feed him what he needed. After all, she would be no good to him if she couldn’t master her fear enough to grant him the very strength he needed to defeat Ritol.

Once they were mounted and on the road again, Gavin said, “Let’s talk about this fear o’bats you got.”

“No, let’s not.” She would never have confessed such a thing to him, especially knowing how he would tease her, but her nervousness had gotten the best of her one night a couple of weeks ago, and he’d managed to guess its cause.

He chuckled. “You’ve no humor.”

“I’ve plenty of humor. Let’s talk about how you lost that eyetooth.”

“Oh, that? I was at the Lucky Inn, eyeing a comely wench who just finished rebuffing a buck. So I went over and started flirting. Turns out that other buck was her husband. Hit me in the mouth with a pewter tankard.”

“Kinshield, you are so full of— tales.”

He laughed. “Know any traveling songs?”

Daia was taught to sing as a child, but she’d never enjoyed singing for an audience. “No.”

“In Tern lived a poor, starving lass,” he sang loudly. Though his voice was deep and rich, his off-key notes were cringe-worthy.

Golam nickered and shook his head.

“Set out to the fair on her ass.”

The warhorse snorted like a bull.

“She said to the donkey, in a voice that was on-key...”

Golam stretched his head out and began to squeal.

“...you’ll fetch a fine pielar, alas.”

The horse neighed loudly, causing Calie to nicker questioningly.

Daia laughed. “I guess he doesn’t like your singing.”

Gavin patted Golam’s neck. “He loves my singing. It’s that song he hates.”

“Golam’s the quirkiest horse I’ve ever known.”

“If I sing it again, he’ll buck me right off his back. His favorite song is—” He reined in his horse. “Stop.”

“What is it?” The hairs on the back of Daia’s neck stiffened.

He pulled a leather glove onto his sword hand, as he did before every fight. “I think something’s coming through.”

Aldras Gar!

Gavin drew his sword while turning Golam in a circle, trying to see where the danger was.

“There,” Daia said as she drew her weapon.

Ahead on the road, a red slit formed in the air, and a brown, hairy foot stepped out followed by another and two more. The beyonder’s body was the size of a bear. It had four arms in addition to the four legs, and a wide mouth that wrapped nearly all the way around its head. This thing didn’t look like it would be difficult to kill.

Daia heeled her mount and went in with her sword ready. With barely a nudge, Golam took off after them. Her sword sliced off an arm as she sped past. A new one took its place.
Ho!
Gavin drove Aldras Gar into the thing’s chest. It turned with the sword still in it. With Golam’s forward momentum, and the monster’s turn in the opposite direction, Gavin lost his grip on the weapon.
Hell.
Golam slowed, turned and started at it again. Gavin pulled hard on the reins. He wouldn’t be able to fight with only his dagger.

Daia was already making a second pass when the red slit appeared again. A second beyonder, similar to the first but slightly smaller, stepped through. She slashed the first one, then shifted her blade to the other side and sliced the new one before it was even completely though the tear. The beyonders’ shrill cry sent a shudder up Gavin’s spine.

About eight inches of Aldras Gar’s blade, blackened with blood, protruded from the first one’s body. Gavin tugged at it with his mind.
Come.
It slid out of the beyonder’s chest and hurtled toward him, hilt end first. With a slight lean, Golam rotated, putting Gavin’s hand in Aldras Gar’s direct path.

Armed once more, he charged forward. Daia had circled back and was engaging the second beyonder. Then the first one’s four arms and legs became two as a third beyonder squirmed out of its body. The second beyonder split into two as well. Now instead of facing two beyonders, they faced four.

“Don’t let it hit you,” she called. “Their fur’s like porcupine quills.”

Good to know.
As if of one mind, all four of them attacked Daia. She swung her blade with impressive speed and skill, while her horse danced and kicked. He needed to split them and get two of them on himself. Golam ran straight for the one on the right, head down. Gavin swung Aldras Gar. It crackled with a blue light as it descended, then sliced deeply into the thing’s shoulder. A spark lit the monster up, singeing its fur. A rancid odor filled the air like burnt chicken shit. It screeched and warbled. Two of the beyonders turned on him. Good. One swiped at him. He leaned away, but Golam didn’t have time to react. The massive paw struck Gavin in the chest like a tree branch. He fell backward, tumbling over Golam’s flank. He landed on his arse. Golam circled the monsters, trying to get to him, but one beyonder went after the horse. Gavin leapt to his feet in time to engage the other. It towered over him by at least two feet, massive paws swinging at his head. He ducked, speared it in the gut, then ducked again. It swiped lower — too low to duck — and he spun away, swinging the sword as he did. He felt it lag as it sliced through his target. Quickly surveying the road, he saw Daia fighting off one beyonder while her second opponent lay still a few feet distant.