Crystal Moon (12 page)

that if you’re pure of heart and follow the last of the blue rays

of light, you’ll find the mythical land of Andacor hidden deep

within the mountains.”

“Andacor?” She turned her gaze to him.

“When I was a lad, my mother would tell me tales of

Andacor to lull me to sleep. A land of peace and love, where

knowledge is sought for its own sake rather than to use against

others for gain. She even claimed a blood kinship with the

Andacorians through her mother.” Kyne laughed harshly. “My

sweet, gentle mother was a fool. There is no such place.”

“Is it foolish to wish for peace? To desire love? If I were

pure of heart I would follow the light and count myself fortunate

to be allowed to search. Whether or not Andacor is a place of

substance or merely a dream, men should strive to find it.”

In the blue dusk Sianna appeared ethereal, a delicate figure

of spun crystal. Hardly a cold, hardhearted woman who calmly

plotted with her father to murder her lover. Just who was she?

Sianna, daughter of light, healer? Or Laila, born of the night,

murderer?

Desire blossomed in him. He wanted this woman with a

longing that overcame his self disgust.

Her hand settled on his calf, and a jolt went through him. In

that instant he felt her reverence, her yearning, her satisfied

lassitude. And something more. Her honesty.

Before his conviction of her guilt crumbled, he jerked away.

Unwilling to accept what he sensed, he broke the spell she cast

over him with her touch. He refused to fall victim to her witchery

as the others had. Hakan pranced, protesting Kyne’s rough

handling.

She stepped back from the restless quinar and looked up at

Kyne. “What’s wrong? Did you feel it, too? The connection?”

The question struck at him. What did she sense from him?

Used to hiding his emotions behind a mask of calm command,

the thought this small woman could penetrate that facade made

him wary.

“I felt nothing. We must head back to the castle before

dark.”

As the sun continued to sink, the glow faded and the world

returned to normal.

“Come.” Unnaturally gruff, his voice echoed in the growing

twilight. He urged Hakan forward, leaving her to walk behind.

But he couldn’t leave behind his growing doubts so easily.

When she touched his leg, Sianna felt connected to Kyne.

She read his turmoil, sensed his doubts and confusion about her

and something more—desire. The heat of his emotion excited

and frightened her, as had his talk of Andacor, a place she’d

never heard of, yet somehow knew.

***

The next day, shouts and the clatter of hooves in the courtyard

broke the early morning silence and drew Sianna’s attention

from her patient. She welcomed the distraction from her

thoughts. Though she’d again lain awake for hours, she’d fallen

asleep before Kyne returned to his chamber. And when she

awoke this morning he had already left. She should be relieved

he seemed to require nothing from her. Instead she felt a vague

sense of disappointment.

“Do you have a healer? We have injured,” a voice called.

Sianna hurried from the great hall out into the yard, Warda

trotting just behind. Dozens of people milled about, voices raised

in confusion.

“I am a healer.” She moved toward the tall man who

appeared to be the group’s leader. “Bring your injured within.”

The man turned. Sianna stopped mid-step. She felt the blood

drain from her face.

“Laila.” The word came out a mere breath of sound. Even

though Laila, dressed in men’s clothing, had chopped her hair

short about her head, and blood and grime smeared her cheeks,

Sianna knew her sister.

For a moment Laila stared at Sianna, then recognition

dawned, and her features grew stiff. To another man she said,

“Carry the injured inside and see them settled. I will speak to

the healer and the castle’s Rul.” She gripped Sianna’s arm and

pulled her away from the crowd toward a deserted corner of

the courtyard.

Warda gave a low growl, his eyes never leaving Laila. She

paid him no mind.

“Laila...”

“My name is Lisha. The other you speak of is dead. I lead

these people and bear a message for Rul Cathor.”

“But La..Lisha. It’s not safe for you here. You must leave

immediately.” Terror made Sianna’s voice shake. “If anyone

discovers your identity, they’ll rip you apart.”

“And what of you? Do they know who you are?”

“No. A few believe I am you, but they have a use for me—

you. So for the time I am safe enough.” In the last few days

Sianna had learned more of her father’s sins than her gentle

heart could bear. “The people here hate our father. Since coming

here I’ve learned why, but I’ll not stand by and see you suffer

for his crimes. Though they believe differently, I know you’ve

no part in his evil.”

Laila laughed without humor, the sound harsh and pained.

“You have the look of your mother and see the world as she

did, a place where the good outweighs the bad.”

“You knew her?” All her life Sianna had wondered and

dreamed about the woman who had given her life and died

doing so. If she had lived would all have been different?

Laila nodded, her gaze growing softer. “DiSanti brought

her home from the mountains when I was six annum. Though

he kept her against her will, she was ever kind to me.”

“I don’t understand. Our father stole my mother?”

“Now is not the time for this discussion. I must see to my

people and speak to Rul Cathor. I have news he will want to

hear.”

“But I....”

“We will talk later, when there are not so many ears about.

I would know how you come to be here, but my injured need to

be cared for first.”

“Yes, of course.” Sianna pushed her curiosity aside. “You

are right. How many injured do you have?”

“Three seriously and a half a dozen minor.”

Reluctantly, Sianna turned to leave. There was so much

she wanted to know, to ask, but now was not the time. Would

there be time?

Laila’s soft voice stopped her. “Go carefully, little sister.

We tread a narrow ledge along a steep drop. One misstep, and

we plunge to our doom.”

The ominous words sent a chill down Sianna’s spine. Why

did Laila come here, to the stronghold of their father’s greatest

enemy? What did she seek from the brother of her lover? Did

Laila know of Aubin’s death at their father’s hands? Sianna

thought it likely. Though she couldn’t read Laila’s emotions, an

aura of desolation surrounded her sister that even someone

without empathic skills could sense.

Lost in thought, Sianna walked toward the castle. To her

left, a flash of color caught her eye. She turned and met Zoa’s

puzzled gaze. Before Sianna could call out, Zoa darted away

into the crowd still filling the courtyard. How much had the

child heard? What did she understand? And whom would she

tell?

***

Kyne allowed the warrior woman to enter his chamber in

front of him. Something about this woman tugged at his memory.

He felt he should know her, but her name and appearance were

unfamiliar to him. He would listen before he determined a course

of action.

Having refused his offer to refresh herself first, she strode

into the room still wearing bloodstained clothing. Her face and

hands bore evidence of a battle recently fought. As if

convenience meant more to her than vanity, she’d hacked off

her dark hair close to her head. Stiff with sweat and grime, the

color was impossible to determine. Only the proud tilt of her

head, her rigid spine, and the fire burning in her eyes kept her

from looking like a refugee of war. No common rebel,

aristocratic blood flowed through this woman’s veins. The feeling

he should know her intensified.

Halfway into the room she whirled to face him. “There is

little time. A caravan left from the Southern Province for the

capital less than a tenday ago. It contains enough supplies and

arms to provision an army. If it reaches DiSanti, our cause is

lost. But if we move quickly, we can take it ourselves.”

“Our cause?” Kyne settled his hip against the table, crossed

his arms over his chest and studied the woman. Suspicion made

him cautious, but hope flickered to life. “What is your name?

Where do you come by this information? And why should you

care?”

“Why should I care,” she sputtered. “Because...”

A knock at the door stopped her. Body going taut, she

reached for the sword at her waist.

“Be easy, woman,” Kyne cautioned. “An enemy intent on

harm would not be likely to knock.”

Some of the tension eased from her, but she kept her fingers

on the hilt of her sword.

“Enter.” Kyne turned toward the door as Graham and Katya

came in.

At the sight of Katya, the woman gasped an unintelligible

word, and the color drained from her already pale face.

Before she collected herself and schooled her features to

mask the pain he sensed inside her, Kyne heard a wealth of

misery in her ragged whisper. Only her eyes reflected her inner

torment. What about Katya had triggered this warrior woman’s

odd reaction?

“Graham Denby and Katya Cathor this is...” Kyne looked

to the woman to supply her name.

“Lisha,” she said.

“Lisha?”

“Just Lisha. I claim no other name.”

Curious. What did she run from or wish to hide by claiming

no family affiliation? “Tell them what you’ve told me.”

In brief, staccato sentences Lisha told Graham and Katya

of the heavily laden caravan and how it could be taken. She

moved to the table and grabbed a map. “If we strike here two

days from now, we can take the caravan.” She jabbed her

finger at the map. “There is no time to waste. If we leave

immediately we’ll just make it. Once the caravan goes through

the pass, it will be met by DiSanti’s guard, and we lose our

chance. He has too many men to risk a confrontation with him

in the open.”

“Why should we trust you?” Suspicion laced Katya’s voice.

“How do you know all this? Perhaps you’re sent here to lead

us into a trap. Why didn’t you go after this caravan on your

own? Why come to us?”

Lisha threw up her hands. “I lead a band of fewer than

fifteen men, not nearly enough to take on a well-guarded

caravan. Three were badly injured when DiSanti’s men

discovered our base. We barely escaped with our lives. The

rest are old men, women and children. To succeed this attack

needs at least fifty men.” She turned toward Kyne and Graham.

“Do you have that many?”

Neither man answered.

“Tell me.” She pulled out her sword and tossed it on the

table. “Either trust me or kill me. You must decide.”

Strong, reckless emotions drove this woman—rage, pain,

vengeance. Kyne could feel her passion shimmering in the air.

Still her information was sound. With caution they could take

the caravan. He looked over at Graham and gave a nod.

“Come, Katya.” Graham took her arm. “We have

preparations to make if we are to leave within the hour.”

“But...” Katya protested as Graham led her out.

After the door closed behind them, Kyne locked eyes with

Lisha. “Do not play us false, or I will kill you.”

Lisha laughed harshly. “I am already dead. My body merely

functions to see DiSanti in his grave.”

“Are you hurt?” Kyne hesitated to send Sianna to this angry

woman. If she learned Sianna’s identity....With one hand Lisha

could break Sianna’s delicate neck. The thought of Sianna dead

shook him to his core.

“Minor injuries only, but I would see the young healer. I

wish her to treat my wounds, so I can ride with your men.”

“Take clean clothing from my chest. Rest a bit. I’ll send up

food and...the healer. Have a care you don’t frighten her. She’s

a gentle soul.” Even as he spoke the warning, Kyne wondered

from where his urge to protect his enemy’s daughter sprang.

***

Sianna watched from the shadows outside Kyne’s chamber

as Graham and Katya emerged. Laila and Kyne remained within.

Fear rooted Sianna’s feet to the stone floor. What did Laila

want with Kyne? Would Kyne discern Laila’s identity?

“I don’t trust her.” Katya pulled against Graham’s hold on

her arm. “And stop dragging me about like a delinquent child.”

“Then cease acting like one. Your brother knows what he’s

doing. For once in your life, instead of fighting him every step

of the way, trust him. He needs your support, not your

antagonism.”

The sound of their argument faded as they moved away.

Sianna stepped out of the shadows and started to leave as well.

The door opened again, and Kyne saw her.

“Sianna.”

Her name on his lips sounded sweet. She stopped with her

back to him. “Yes.”

“The woman’s wounds need tending.”

Laila is hurt! Again, Sianna cursed the fact she could sense