Will Shetterly - Witch Blood (23 page)

I glanced at him.

“—people like there aren’t any of around here, oh no, not like my good friend R-r-r-rifkin, oh no. He’s not a foolish little person. And anyone who says so will answer to me! I think I’ll go away now.”

Avarineo left. A minute or two later, Naiji said, “I think we should—”

“Make sure none of Komaki’s warriors have sneaked into my bedroom? I agree.”

Naiji smiled. “That’s silly.”

“You’re right. Let’s check your bedroom instead.”

“Rifkin.”

“Oh, all—” I turned as one of the twins ran into the room. “Sivifal,” I said.

“Livifal,” Naiji corrected. “What is it?”

“Your father, Lady. He’s awake. He asks for you.”

“And Talivane?” Naiji asked.

“No, Lady. You and the southerner.”

“Oh?” Naiji looked at me.

“Yes,” Livifal said.

I shrugged. Naiji said, “Then we go. Tell Talivane that Da’s awake.”

“Yes, Lady.”

We strode briskly from the kitchens to the infirmary. Naiji said, “Let me do the talking.”

“Sure.”

“What’ll he expect?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know. He probably heard Izla’s voice, though maybe only I did.”

“Well, don’t worry about it.”

“Of course not. What’s the worst he can do to me?”

“Since you’re wearing iron, little.”

“Fine.”

“He might use the fact that he’s partially paralyzed to paralyze you. Then he’d have someone strip the iron from you so you could be tormented for a few days. And then he’d kill you. Da’s like that.”

“Oh.”

She reached over and squeezed my arm. “I was just teasing.”

“Mondivinaw’s not like that?”

“Well, he is. Once he caught a poacher and kept her alive for weeks by feeding her bits of her flesh. But I won’t let him do anything to you.”

“Thanks.” I walked the rest of the way thinking that I had lived a full and interesting life, and that while I had expected to end it in many places, I had never expected to die while visiting an old man’s sickbed. Telling myself that death now would end the threat of facing another of Dovriex’s breakfasts did little to soothe me.

One of the twins met us outside Mondivinaw’s door. “Sivifal?” I said.

The redhead nodded, then stepped back so Naiji could enter. There was a long moment of silence until Naiji called, “Rifkin! Come in!”

I entered and bowed to Mondivinaw. He had been propped up with several pillows, but I did not think he looked well. His left side was dead; his right was frantic. His bloodshot right eye twitched furiously, and he gestured like an epileptic with his arthritic right hand. “Lord,” I said.

Naiji smiled slightly. “My father says...” She paused with an actor’s sense of drama, or else a torturer’s. “... that he hopes the great lord will forgive his presumptions.”

Confused, I frowned, and Mondivinaw’s twitchings grew worse. Naiji added with veiled amusement, “My father says he is physically incapable of abasing himself, though he would if he could, and that he knows too little of subservience to speak as humbly as he should. He hopes...” Her eyes flicked to Mondivinaw, then back to me. “... no, prays that the great lord understands and accepts this.”

The old man’s living eye seemed to plead with me. That told me Naiji’s words were not some cruel whim of her own. I nodded numbly at the old man. I tried to swallow, thinking to speak, but my throat was dry.

Naiji said, “My father is infinitely grateful that the great lord—”

I shook my head.

Her voice began to mirror some of her father’s concern. “He hopes he has not offended—”

“No,” I said gruffly, wanting to leave. “He has not.”

“He says the great lord should consider this castle his own.”

“Lady—” I began.

“He says we will all serve the great lord as best we can.”

“Naiji!” I said. “Damn it, I’m no great lord!”

Her eyes went suddenly wide in true surprise.

“Nor can I play one,” I added.

She shook her head. “Rifkin, he knows that. He wasn’t talking to you.”

‘To...“ I looked from father to daughter.

“Yes,” said Naiji.

After a long moment I said, ‘Tell him...“ I searched for a way to say what I felt, and I thought about what sort of man this old witch must be, and I thought about his son, and I thought about Izla.

“Da hears, Rifkin. He just doesn’t speak.”

“I know that, damn it!” I crossed to his bed in two steps. “Listen, you...” The fear in his eye made me gentler, but not much. “Old man, I wish to help you and your family. Not for your sake. And any gods that may be, know it’s not for Talivane’s sake, either. But I wish to help you. I, Rifkin Boundman, not the wizard who lives in my head. And I will help you, if you don’t oppose me. But if you do, I’ll unleash him, understand me? I’ll unleash him and he’ll make every agony you’ve ever endured seem like pure bliss. Understand me? Damn you, understand me!”

Naiji grabbed my shoulder. “He understands, Rifkin!”

“Great lord,” I sneered, glaring at her. She drew her hand back. “Great lord, my callused ass! I served that spoiled child for two—” I saw that her fear almost equaled her father’s. “Forget it,” I said. “Just forget it.” I stalked out, and as I went, Izla whispered
Well done
.

“Shut up!” I cried. Both of the twins were in the hall, and they glanced at me as if they expected madness from southerners but wished it came as a quieter, more discreet insanity.

I picked a hall and walked. Someone followed me. I turned at random, and my follower turned, too, then we both took a flight of very dusty stairs. At the top I told myself that I had been indulgent enough for a lifetime or two, perhaps I should play at intelligence for a minute. I had believed this was Naiji coming to comfort or confront me, but if it was an assassin instead, I would feel very stupid in the moment before I died.

It was Naiji. She stopped midway up the stairs and said, “Well?”

“It’s all right.”

“He’s an old man.”

“He’s a vicious, stupid, and cowardly old fool. I’ve known a thousand like him. Rich, protected, selfish—”

“He’s my father.”

“So? You were happy to let him suffer while he thought Izla controlled me.”

“I thought life would be easier for both of us if Da tried to be humble for a week or two.”

“I couldn’t have pretended to be what I’m not.”

“Because of your pride?”

“Because I’d have to give a demonstration of my power. For Talivane, if not for Mondivinaw. Not having any would make that a little difficult.”

“Maybe so. You still didn’t have to throw a snit.”

“A snit?” I stared at her. “Sometimes I don’t think you’re human.”

“I’m not. I’m a witch.”

“You should be human first, no matter what common folk say.”

“Spare me your patronizing tone, hmm?”

We stared at each other for a long moment. “If you spare me,” I said at last, beginning to smile.

She frowned, then nodded. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Rifkin.”

“I’m sorry too. What do you want to do about your father?”

“Let him worry. It’ll be good for him.”

“Do you have Harvest Fest in this region?”

“Yes. Why?”

“I want to nominate you for the Queen of Kindness.”

She laughed again. “All right, Rifkin. I’ll go tell Da to stop sweating.”

“Thank you.”

“But I’ll remind him that Izla could escape.”

“Fine.” I watched her descend, then rushed after her.

“Forget something?” she asked.

“Yes. My way back.”

She sighed. “And this is the defender I found in the woods.” She squeezed my hand, so I held hers, and we returned the way we had come. Talivane stood outside Mondivinaw’s room, and Naiji dropped my hand when she saw him. “Brother!”

He turned. “Where’ve you been? They said you and Rifkin...” He studied me with a sneer.

“We were checking one of the abandoned wings,” Naiji said. “It seems secure.”

“I should imagine it would be.” He continued to look at me. “My father thinks you’re a great witch, Rifkin.”

“I’m not.”

“Chifeo said you were one too.”

“He was wrong.”

Talivane nodded. “Odd how these rumors spread so quickly.”

“Rifkin’s as loyal as I am,” Naiji said.

“Of course,” Talivane answered. “He’s bound to you. But how loyal are you, dear sister?”

Naiji’s brow furrowed in anger or confusion. “What do you mean?”

“What I said. I thought you believed in our cause, yet you hesitate—”

“I need time, Talivane.”

‘Time that you spend with that...“ He pointed at me.

“Careful,” I said. “I might bite.”

“That...” His finger continued to waggle, so I snapped at it. He snatched it back and said, “That little dark monkey of a boundman!”

‘Talivane?“ I said.

“Yes?”

“Bite my banana.”

The whites of his eyes were huge around his grey-green pupils. “Rifkin, you—”

Naiji snatched at his arm. “We need him, dearest. Truly. There are more reasons than you know.”

“Oh?” Talivane said coldly.

“Father’s not entirely wrong.”

“I don’t like a mystery.”

“I’ll tell you more later. Trust me.”

“Can I?”

She nodded.

“Come with me.”

Naiji glanced from Talivane to me. I said, “I’ve things to do.”

“I’ll see you later, then,” she said.

Talivane shook his hand as though brushing me away. “Go, monkey.”

“What a wit,” I said. “How could I ever equal it? Perhaps if I hit my head repeatedly with a rock for half a day? Or if you locked me in a room with only Avarineo for company for ten years—”

“Go,” Talivane said. “You have an archery class to teach.”

“Oops.” I waited a moment, mostly because he wanted me to leave. “Any news of Komaki?”

“His troops are moving,” Talivane said. “They’ll probably be here by mid-afternoon.”

“And what’s his wealth?”

“Why?”

“I’ve been wondering if he might send more Spirits.”

Talivane shook his head. “He wouldn’t bother to bring his army, then. And I doubt he intends to impoverish himself in this war.”

“Good.” I left for the courtyard.

Feschian had already set up three bales of hay by the gate and draped each with a sheet that bore the outline of a helmeted warrior. Most of the castle’s inhabitants who did not regularly serve on the guard were lined up to take shots at the target. There were perhaps fifteen people in all. Kivakali was among them. They took turns shooting, three at a time with five arrows each.

Feschian nodded to me. “Afternoon, Rifkin.”

“It’s morning, still.”

“Why, so it is. You’re up early.”

“I’ve been up for almost two hours.”

“Got lost again?”

“I was busy. I forgot about this.”

She nodded. “We’ll stop soon. I don’t want to tire them out.”

“Wise.” I nodded at the shape-changer, who had put two arrows into the left target. “He’s not bad.”

“Fat Cat? He’s supposed to be shooting at the middle one.”

“Oh. What about the rocksmith?”

“I told her to shoot at the left figure. If she didn’t decide to try another, she’s doing well.”

The next group began. The fencer placed five shots in as many seconds into the center of his target. “I’m glad he’s on our side,” I said.

“Yes. Iron Eyes isn’t bad.”

“An odd nickname.”

“His strength lies in hexing. Other witches, as well as commoners.”

“Iron... I see.” Kivakali took the fencer’s bow from him to send an arrow into the wooden gate. “Excuse me,” I told Feschian and went to Kivakali. “Lady,” I said.

She blushed. “Rifkin, I’m so—”

“You shoot well,” I said. “It’s merely a matter of concentration.” I reached for her bow. “May I?”

“Certainly.”

“You worry too much about the mechanics of shooting. Think only of the target.” My arrow buried itself in the circle that marked the painted warrior’s heart. I gave the bow back to her. “That isn’t to say you can ignore the details. If you’ll permit me...” I stepped behind her to show her as I would a child, so both our hands gripped the bow and the string. “Full extension. Let the far end rest lightly on the fingers holding the bow. The other hand holds the string, not the arrow. Think of the arrow as a bird, and clumsy human hands will injure it. Think of the target as someone you hate. The arrow is a messenger. Its message is death. Understand?”

“Yes.”

I let go of her bow, so Kivakali was no longer in my embrace. “Good. Send it. Now!”

She hit the target. Her arrow was outside the warrior’s outline, but it was in the target. “Better,” I said. “Again.”

Two of her next three shots were killing ones. I wondered who she pictured as she aimed.

She smiled at me. “Thank you.”

“It’s my job, Lady.”

“From what you said last night, I wouldn’t expect...”

“Yes?”

“Well, you suggested I think of killing.”

“I thought it would help your shooting. It did.”

“That’s all?”

“It’s what you’ll be doing, if your father attacks.”

“I know. But—”

“Later, Lady. This is no time for philosophy.” I bowed to her and returned to Feschian.

“Well done, Rifkin.”

“Thanks.”

“You have a way with the women of this castle.”

I glanced at her, but Feschian only smiled and watched the next archers.

After half an hour I had them stop for a few simple exercises, then took them all through a long period of meditation.

“What next?” I asked Feschian.

She shrugged. “We’re as ready as we’ll ever be.”

I dismissed the class, telling them to go rest, if they could. I went to find Dovriex. He was in the kitchens, honing his knives. “Something I said?” I asked. He flipped the one he held, and it quivered in the door beside my head. I reached out to withdraw it. “Whatever it was, I apologize.”

Dovriex smiled. “Don’t bother. I just wanted to see if you’d blink.”

“If you’d asked, I would’ve blinked for half an hour.” I flipped the knife back into a cutting block near him. “You blinked too.”

“Something in my eye. If you came for a snack, you’re out of luck.”

“No.” I sat cross-legged on a counter. “I came to ask about Kivakali.”