Blinding Beauty (17 page)

He paused at another stall. “What
would your mother think of this?” He held up a thin copper ring,
centered with a delicate green stone. Launce studied at it for a
moment before shrugging again and turning away, and Ever had to
remind himself not to smile. He had finally succeeded in making
Launce uncomfortable. Now he could begin his real work. “Speaking
of shiny copper things,” Ever began as he paid for the ring, “You
certainly found yourself quite the new prizes.”

“
So you know about that.” When he
spoke this time, Launce stared at the ground, all bravado
gone.

“
And I find myself enormously
curious as to what you have gotten yourself wrapped up in.” They
stopped at another stall. The owner held out a plate of small
pieces of meat, no doubt anxious to test the generosity of one of
the many kings present in the city. The bits of meat were nearly
yellow, sprinkled with red spices and smelling strongly of bay
leaves. Ever wasn’t hungry, but he allowed Launce time to sample it
and consider his response. After Launce had decided to buy himself
a full leg of the bird, they continued their stroll, and the young
man finally spoke between bites.

“
How did you know?”

“
Aside from the herald announcing
a mysterious man with your second given name? There aren’t enough
contestants for you to lose yourself that easily.” Ever tapped his
temple. “And you forget that we’re more acquainted now. It’s easier
for me to sense your presence. And your sister is even more attuned
to you.”

Launce’s face crumpled, as though
his turkey had turned sour.

“
But that doesn’t answer my
question. What happened?”

“
I don’t see why it’s so
important!” Launce said. “Is it that shocking that I might actually
be good at something?”

That was it. Ever was done with
this foolishness. He took hold of the young man’s forearm and
dragged him past the lines of bright tents and a little ways into
the forest the market bordered. Launce looked for a moment as
though he might protest, but when Ever threw him his most dangerous
look, daring him to make a scene, Launce complied, however
unhappily. Once they were a ways into the woods, Ever left Launce
standing at the center of a small clearing, where mottled sunlight
filtered down through the trees. Ever stalked around the little
circle, listening for curious busybodies that might be in the
immediate vicinity, before returning to Launce and pressing in
until they were at an uncomfortable proximity.

“
Stop acting like a spoiled oaf!
You are far too old to be playing these games! Isa was attacked
yesterday, just before the competition!”

At these words, the rebellion
drained from Launce’s face.

“
Was she harmed?”

“
She only twisted her ankle. But a
strange power is at work here, and your mysterious garb and horse
last night aren’t making it any easier for me to understand.” Ever
ran his hand down his face for what felt like the hundredth time
that day. What he wouldn’t give for a nap. He pulled in a deep
breath, asking the Maker for some self-control, if nothing else.
The world suddenly seemed much weightier than he had ever lifted,
and the thread of patience that he struggled to hold on to on any
given day was about to snap.

Launce was silent for a long
moment, staring first at the blanket of moss beneath his muddy
boots and then up at the sky that peeked through the thick foliage
above. When he finally did speak, his words came out in uneven
bursts, and his tone was at least appropriately
disconcerted.

“
After I talked to you yesterday,
I did as you instructed, looking for anything that felt like power.
It took me a while. For hours, I had nothing. Then I realized the
entire stables were covered in a shiny dusting. So I decided to
spend the evening on the stable roof where it was clear, so I could
see what was happening.”

“
You didn’t fall asleep?” Ever
asked.

Launce shook his head. “I nearly
did, I think because I must have still had the dust on me from
inside the stable. But I guess I managed to shake enough off.” He
paused. “It was a good thing I had, because the earthquake was much
stronger on the roof than it had been in the stable. I nearly lost
my balance and rolled off, but managed to cling to the roof tiles,
pulling myself just to the edge.

“
When I looked down to see the
guard, however, I realized the shaking wasn’t an earthquake at all,
but a horse, larger than any I had ever seen, charging up the path
from the thin forest that surrounds the palace. The closer it got,
the harder its hooves pounded the ground. Every jolt moved the
stable like a wave crashing upon the side of a ship. It was all I
could do to hold on to the roof tiles.

“
The horse came to a stop before
the new guard. The guard seemed nearly frightened out of his mind,
and kept waving his sword at the horse. Stupid fellow thought he
might stand a chance against the beast.” Launce paused and looked
up at Ever, for once, without resentment in his face. “King Rafael
doesn’t spend much time training his men with horses, does
he?”

Ever nearly smiled. “No, but it’s
something I’ve advised him to do a number of times.” How many times
had the two men had that conversation? But no matter how much Ever
chided, Rafael would remind him that wrestling was their national
pride. A lot of good that would do them against enemies with swords
and bows. But Ever hadn’t come out to think about Rafael’s
wrestling army. “Go on,” he told Launce.

“
The horse kept rearing, slicing
the air with his hooves, each movement bringing them closer to the
guard’s face. I was trying to think of a way to save him, but
before I could come up with one, a particularly hard slam of the
hooves sent me sprawling off the roof, right next to the
guard.

“
He screamed at me to run, holding
his sword as high as he could between himself and the horse. I told
him to lower his sword, but I couldn’t help, as the horse kept
pounding the ground too hard for me to get up. He told me that I
was insane, but when the next hoof barely missed his head, he
finally listened.” Launce gave a distant half smile.

“‘
If I die, my blood will be on
your head!’ he told me as he put it down.” Launce looked at Ever,
just a glimmer of resentment in his eye his time. “I may know
little of swords, but horses... I know horses.” Ever was aware of
this. It was the reason he’d never added horses to the practices
during the few days Launce had agreed to train with him. But for
the first time, Ever wondered if perhaps it might have been better
for Launce to have had the chance to perform well in at least one
arena.

“
When the horse quit bucking quite
so hard, I held a hand out low and began to whistle a soothing tune
that my horse at home enjoys. Slowly, I crept towards the animal.
It took me forever, but he finally let me touch him just between
his shoulder and neck. When I did, the horse shuddered a bit, but
let me continue to rub him. I rubbed until I thought my arm might
fall off. When I’d made my way down his back though, I realized his
saddlebags were full.” Launce frowned at this and paused, as though
what he was about to say troubled him.

“
And?” Ever prodded, trying not to
sound too impatient. He had to go soon to meet with Rafael’s
soldiers, but Launce suddenly seemed lost in his own world. At
Ever’s prodding, he gave himself a little shake, but when he spoke,
his words were still slow.

“
A note fell out of the
saddlebags. It said, ‘Job well done. This horse is now yours. Treat
him well, and he will carry you to your first victory.’ When I
looked in the saddlebags they were full of the armor.”

“
And let me guess,” Ever said.
“The same thing happened again last night.” A look of surprise and
then annoyance flashed across Launce’s face.

“
Silver this time,” was all he
said.

Ever studied him for a moment,
trying to quell the maelstrom of questions that swirled in his
head. Something was still missing. There was a piece of this puzzle
that had been lost, or stolen, rather, but Ever wasn’t sure who
held it. To be sure, Rafael was teeming with secrets. But had
Launce told Ever all that he knew? Did he really grasp the danger
of the situation? Ever doubted it.

“
How did you keep the other
competitors from knowing your identity in the copper
suit?”

“
They couldn’t care less about me,
for the most part,” Launce said. “I didn’t show anyone the armor.
Only the guard knew of the horse, and I swore him to secrecy with a
few coins. I dawdled until everyone else was lined up and ready,
and went into the woods where I’d tied the horse.” His dark eyes
tightened. “You don’t want me to compete tonight, do
you?”

“
Actually,” Ever chose his words
carefully, “I think you should. It can’t be an accident that your
sister was attacked, and you were gifted a monstrous horse all on
the same day. We need to know more about this entity. But,” he
leveled his sternest look at his brother-in-law, “you must take
care.”

“
So you worry about me then?”
Launce’s eyes glinted mischievously in the yellow sun that slipped
through the trees.

“
I worry about myself,” Ever
responded dryly. “Your sister will have my hide if something
happens to you. I would like to make it home in one piece.” Ever
had begun to make his way back to the edge of the woods towards the
noise and bustle of the market, when Launce called out one more
time.

“
Everard?”

“
Yes?” He paused, looking over his
shoulder. Launce had begun to follow him, but stopped several paces
back, all signs of mirth gone from his thin face.

“
I don’t know if it makes a
difference, but the undersides of both saddles, as well as the
bottoms of the horse shoes, are made of glass.”

Ever had to use every ounce of his
self-control to keep himself from sprinting to the palace. He and
Rafael needed to talk.

CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN

Wisdom of Kings

“
So who is
this famous holy man that has such a talent for glass
architecture?” Ever nocked an arrow as he awaited Rafael’s
response. He worked hard to appear casual after finding out about
the glass in Launce’s mysterious gifts.

“
So that’s why you dragged me out
here.” Rafael shook his head as he nocked his own arrow. “I knew it
couldn’t be simply for old time’s sake.”

“
You know me too well for
that.”

“
I suppose I do,” Rafael sighed as
they nudged their mounts into the shadowy greens of the
woods.

The horses obeyed, but moved along
at a leisurely pace, not suitable at all for hunting. This was fine
with Ever, as he had no intention of actually hunting with the
king. He simply needed to get Rafael alone. Hunting was merely the
invitation that was sure to draw the king from his
courtiers.

“
You never had fun much as a youth
either. You spent enough time in my courts disconcerting the men
and driving the girls mad by refusing to look at them.”

Ever snorted. “It’s not practical
to woo women when a rebel is lurking in every corner, waiting to
kill you.”

“’
Tis true, but you have a way of
unnerving people, Everard. And you know it. In fact, you’re doing a
wonderful job of it now. Have you forgotten completely how to
smile? Half of my servants are terrified of you, and I’ll wager at
least half of the guests.”

At this, Ever allowed himself a
small grin. That had been his plan precisely. “Your court needs a
bit of fear driven into it. Everyone is too complacent, including
you.”

“
And you blame all of this on my
holy man?” Rafael pulled his horse to a halt and looked directly at
Ever. The breeze moved through the trees in quick darts and whirls,
trying to find a way through Ever’s cloak to warn him that winter
was fast approaching.

“
I simply do not see how you can
trust him so implicitly after such a short period of time. The
message you sent before last seemed as though all was proceeding as
usual. Why the sudden change in allegiances?”

“
There is no change in allegiance,
Everard.” Rafael shook his head and nudged his horse forward again
at a slow pace. “And the holy man has been here for quite a while.
I have gotten to know him well. Besides,” Rafael looked at him
again, but this time, a strange gleam came to his eye, the same
maddening look he’d worn since they’d first arrived. “He has shown
me many signs. Too many to ignore.”

“
I could show you signs, and I’m
no holy man. Even such,” Ever said, fixing the king with his most
intense stare, “don’t his signs remind you of a certain dangerous
character?”

“
Rubbish!” Rafael waved him off,
but refused to meet Ever’s eyes. “He’s been dead for three thousand
years. Just because one enchanter used glass doesn’t mean no one
else can ever touch it. Now, are we going to hunt or not? We
haven’t even left the path yet, and my wife is expecting me back
for the midday meal.”

Frustrated, but knowing he would
get no further at that moment, Ever nodded, and they turned their
horses off the trail.