Brightly Woven (36 page)

“I suppose I’ve been spending too much time with wizards,” I said.

“I have a favor to ask of you…,” North began hesitantly. “And you certainly don’t have to. It’s just a stupid old tradition for luck.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“Will you come with me to the tents?” he asked. “A wizard is supposed to ask his lady to arm him. For luck, I mean. After that you’ll go back up to the castle with the other women.”

“Of course,” I said, taking his hand firmly in mine. “I’ll come wherever you need me.”

North and I twisted to the outer banks of the Lyfe. I held his hand tightly as we navigated the hundreds of colorful tents that housed the wizards and laborers.

“All right,” he said. “Come on, we don’t have that much time.”

The supply tent North was assigned to was empty by the time we arrived. Trunks of armor and weaponry were stacked in the center, and though candles had been lit to
compensate for the gray winter sky, the tent was still fairly dark and cold. North solved both problems with a simple flick of his old red cloak.

North and I said nothing as I slowly unknotted his cloaks, catching them before they could flutter to the ground. I handled each piece of the black leather armor with care, making sure it was in its proper place. North helped me with the arm and leg pieces without a word. I could see my own miserable expression reflected in the surface of the mirror across the tent. I fastened the last piece of armor with trembling fingers.

It was all over too quickly. I gathered his old cloaks, folding them in their proper order, and clipped the new cloak in their place. The vibrant colors I had chosen were dull in the poor light. His hand came up to take mine, but I wasn’t finished.

I lifted the thin silver chain from around my neck and placed it over his head. The braided silver slipped beneath his armor, out of sight but still there.

“Keep this for me, all right?” I asked. Astraea would protect him when I couldn’t.

I stood on my toes again, bracing myself against his strong form, and pressed my lips against the smooth skin of his cheek.

“For luck,” I explained.

“Thank you,” he said.

I waited until he had disappeared completely from the tent before moving. I sat down heavily on the bench, my face in
my hands, as anger, love, and fear all fought to rise up inside of me.

The tent flap banged open. I brought my head up, and there was Wayland North.

I was on my feet in an instant, but he had crossed the distance between us in two long strides.

“What—?”

He pulled me to him, grasping my face between his hands. And then he was kissing me, kissing me so deeply, so fiercely that I could feel my toes curling in my shoes. The world spun away, and it was just the two of us.

Then it was over. North sighed deeply, and there was that heartbreaking half smile again, the one reserved for times of resignation and failing hope.

“I’m going to need,” he said, “a
lot
of luck.”

When I reached for him again, he was already gone.

The few women and children who had been left behind by the party of wizards made their way back up to the city’s bridge in silence. Once or twice, someone tried to make conversation, but no one was in the mood to talk. I hung back at the very edge of the group, watching the afternoon light play on the blue-green water of the lake.

It was ridiculous to be so afraid when they weren’t going off to fight a war. Even so, the party of wizards and diplomats
was still in danger. We would
all
be in danger if the negotiations fell apart.

“Lass!”

Owain’s enormous body pushed through the crowds on the bridge. He waved both arms in the air, not stopping until I was at his side.

“He’s off, then?” Owain asked. He pulled me closer to him as we maneuvered through the lines of people, animals, and carts. There were several more guards at the gate than usual, but they didn’t stop us. Owain seemed to have that effect on people.

“Wasn’t the Sorceress Imperial closing the city?” I asked. We were wedged between a long line of street vendors and their customers as we made our way up to the castle.

“Queen wouldn’t let her,” Owain explained. “I’m starting to like that girl. She’s got more nerve than I thought.”

I hadn’t realized how late it had gotten. By the time we reached the marble steps of the castle, night had fallen, and there wasn’t a soul to be seen.

“Where are we going?” I asked.

“To your room, of course,” Owain said. “I’ve got orders from the lad:
Do not let anyone in or out of her room until I come back.”

I groaned. “He didn’t.”

“He sure as spit did, lass,” he said. “Not even the queen will get through on my watch!”

But as we turned down the final hallway, it was clear that
the queen was a step ahead of him. Her violet dress blended with the darkness, and the dim light caught the strands of gold in her hair. Owain and I watched in silence as she lifted a fist and knocked twice on the door to my quarters.

“Is there something we can help you with, Your Majesty?” Owain called. There was no hint of friendliness in his voice. I had to push him to the side to see the queen’s reaction.

She jumped, turning quickly to face us.

“Oh! Yes, I’m—It’s—I need—” She wrung her hands until they were an angry red.

“Where are your attendants?” Owain asked, looking around. “Is everything all right?”

I watched the way her lips pressed together into a white line, the way one hand came up to smooth back her hair, and I knew something was wrong. The queen I had met before had been so self-assured.

“Did you need to speak to me?” I asked.

“Yes, in my chambers,” she said tensely. “It is a matter of
grave
importance.”

Queen Eglantine motioned us to follow her to her wing of the castle. If her words hadn’t been enough to confirm my worst fears, the large purple beetle clinging to her skirt was all I needed to know who would be waiting for us in her chambers.

I grabbed Owain’s arm, pulling him down so I could whisper in his ear. “Dorwan.”

He pulled back, his brows drawing together. Dorwan was
using the beetle to track her, I knew, to make sure she couldn’t run away or warn the other wizards.

The queen glanced back over her shoulder, her blue eyes wide. I wasn’t sure that she had heard me until I saw her mouth the words
Help me, please
.

Queen Eglantine’s wing of the castle was unnaturally quiet. The last time I had walked down this hallway, candles had been blazing, servants had been bustling back and forth, and a set of guards had protected the doorway. I saw the busts of past kings covered in the wax of the dripping candles, their vacant eyes following our path down the long hall. Everything was still and quiet, but I sensed Dorwan’s cold aura reaching out to me, licking at my skin. I shivered.

“You need to get the Wizard Guard,” I whispered to Owain. “Get as many wizards as you can.”

Owain shook his head, a deep frown on his face. “Are you saying I can’t protect you myself?”

“I’m saying I don’t
want
you to,” I said. “He’s a dirty cheat—North barely made it out of their fight alive. Please, just get the Guard and hurry back.”

He sighed. “I understand. But I’m coming back for you right away, you hear? Don’t do anything to get yourself hurt; I’d never forgive myself.” He turned quickly, fading into the shadows.

The queen waited by the door to her chambers, still pale and trembling. I came to stand by her side, looping my arm through hers.

“What was it that you needed to speak to me about?” I asked loudly. “What could you possibly have to say to me after everything that’s happened?”

The queen cleared her throat. “I hope you don’t expect me to apologize. I will always do what’s in the best interest of my kingdom.”

She pulled open the door, continuing, “You were a necessary part of gaining a peaceful resolution.”

“There was nothing peaceful about it,” I said, my eyes scanning the darkness. There wasn’t a part of the room that hadn’t been upturned. Her former Wizard Guard were piled one on top of the other near the window. I couldn’t tell if they were unconscious or dead, but the torn draperies, burned carpet, and sprays of blood across the walls seemed to indicate the latter.

“Do you not like the way I’ve redecorated?” Dorwan’s voice floated around us, but he was nowhere to be seen. Another one of his tricks.

“I’m sorry,” the queen said, and I could see she meant it. “He came just before you got back, demanding that I fetch you. I had no choice; he would have killed the guards and myself.”

So they were alive, then. It seemed a strange show of mercy from an otherwise ruthless wizard.

“Come out, you coward,” I called, stepping in front of the queen. “I should have known your ugly face would show up the moment North and the others left.”

“Some call it cowardice; others, intelligence,” he said. “I hope you didn’t think that little stunt you pulled on the mountain would be enough to kill a wizard as powerful as I.”

“A roach can survive anything, apparently,” I said.

Dorwan stepped out from the queen’s bedroom, dressed in the black uniform of the Wizard Guard. In his fist was his dagger with its long, braided string of blue. He spun the cord around casually, the dagger slicing through the air in a wide arc.

“Why didn’t you save the king of Auster?” I asked. “By letting him die, you’ve ruined your own plan.”

“We’ll see about that,” he said, his scarred face turned toward the queen.

“I want you out of my kingdom,” she said. “I am willing to consider your terms, as long as they do not involve harming my subjects.” I didn’t miss the way her hand reached back for the door. Dorwan did not miss it, either. He threw his talisman down with a harsh laugh, and a vein of ice sprang up, racing toward the door. The queen and I leapt apart, watching as a thick layer of ice overcame the door and froze it shut. Queen Eglantine looked at me in alarm.

“That’ll keep our other friend occupied when he returns,” Dorwan said, picking up the knife. “Now, Sydelle, on to more important things.”

The queen lunged to her left, picking up one of the overturned chairs and throwing it at him with all her might. Dorwan ducked before it could hit him, but I used the
distraction to grab at one of the ornamental swords on the wall. I wrenched and pulled at the hilt, but the ancient thing had been hammered into place.

Before I could take another step, a blast of water slammed into both the queen and me, knocking us back against the door. My forehead collided with the sharp edge of the doorknob, and it was enough to stun me for a moment.

I turned, searching until I found the queen a short distance away. She was on the ground, unmoving. Her dress was pooled around her, and for a moment I wasn’t sure if she was alive at all until I saw her breathe.

I pulled myself up onto my knees, but Dorwan was just as quick to knock me back down.

“You still have such spirit,” he said, laughing. “It breaks my heart.”

“As if it hasn’t already shriveled up,” I said. I rolled onto my side, trying to ignore the sharp pain in my head. He knelt on me, forcing the air from my chest. I tried to push him off, but it was like trying to move a stone wall.

“You let them suppress your magic, didn’t you?” Dorwan’s eyes narrowed. “Why is it so difficult for you to understand that power is a blessing? Why do you let them make you feel ashamed of it?”

His fingers traced the length of my arm, a disturbingly gentle act, until they came to rest on my wrist. His eyes flashed in recognition and I felt, rather than saw, his fingers seize the thin metal.

“Take it off,” I dared him. “I can control my magic with or without it.”

Dorwan tightened his hand around my wrist until the pain was nearly excruciating. “Take it off and give you the chance to use your magic? Nice try.”

The dagger slid deeply, unexpectedly, against the length of my arm, from elbow to wrist. I opened my mouth to release a scream of pain, but he pressed his hand firmly against my mouth.

“You asked me why I didn’t save the king?” Dorwan said. “It occurred to me that if I had your power, it really wouldn’t matter if they invaded or not. I’m tired of waiting for things to fall into place. I’ll be more than capable of ruining this kingdom with your blood.”