Dark Moon Defender (Twelve Houses) (35 page)
Read Dark Moon Defender (Twelve Houses) Online
Authors: Sharon Shinn
“Actually, yes. She’s been sent to Neft a few times to nurse an old woman. Wait, let me see if I’ve got this right.” He couldn’t keep all the Twelfth House bloodlines straight, but he knew Senneth would instantly be able to recognize the names. “There’s a woman here in town named Jenetta Gisseltess. She has a big mansion. I can show it to you. She gives a lot of money to the Lumanen Convent. So Coralinda tries to keep her happy and brought a bunch of the novices in to pray over Jenetta’s mother when they thought the mother was dying. She’s still alive, though, and she’s someone from Nocklyn—a serramarra, I think? Is that right? Paulina, that’s her name.”
Senneth was nodding. “Els Nocklyn’s sister. Mayva’s aunt.” Justin remembered now. Marlord Els was sick and his daughter, Mayva, was running his estates—but Mayva was married to a Gisseltess man, and so Kirra and Senneth had figured Nocklyn would side against them in a war. “Interesting information, but I don’t see how it helps us any.”
“Ellynor says Paulina doesn’t care much for Coralinda and her religion.”
That caught Senneth’s attention. “So you’ve discussed some rather delicate subjects with this Ellynor?”
He nodded. “Yes. We’ve had pretty long conversations. I feel like I know her.”
“You think she’s someone you can actually trust?”
“Well—I do,” he said.
“Have you told her who you are?” Tayse asked.
“No. But we’ve—talked about things. I don’t think she likes being at the convent. She’s a little afraid of the Lestra. But she doesn’t seem too sure she can leave.”
Tayse was grinning. “Not an easy place to break free of, unless you have assistance.”
“I’ve offered to help her escape,” Justin said.
That brought another short silence. “So, Justin,” Senneth said softly. “Why don’t you tell us exactly what your relationship is with this girl?”
He felt a flare of anger and defiance. Was Senneth going to berate him now, warn him against making rash friendships with mysterious women? Was she going to scold him about risking his mission, risking his life, endangering the kingdom? He swung over to glare at her, but her wide gray eyes were filled with a cool compassion.
Senneth was unlikely to ever moralize about falling in love where it was least expedient.
“I don’t know—I mean, I’m not sure I understand it myself,” he said a little jerkily. “She is—I like her very much— I’m worried about her. I don’t think she should stay at the convent. I can only meet with her when she’s in town, of course, and she says the convent guards wouldn’t like it at all if they saw us together. I think she’s in danger, that’s all, and I want to help her. I
will
help her, if I get a chance and she needs me.”
will
help her, if I get a chance and she needs me.”
He expected Tayse to say something grave like
Make sure your feelings for this girl don’t interfere with your responsibilities
, but the big man was watching Senneth, reading something on Senneth’s face that led him to keep quiet. It was more than Justin could do; he could not guess what Senneth was thinking.
Make sure your feelings for this girl don’t interfere with your responsibilities
, but the big man was watching Senneth, reading something on Senneth’s face that led him to keep quiet. It was more than Justin could do; he could not guess what Senneth was thinking.
Still, when she spoke, her voice remained gentle. “What kind of person is she? What makes you like her so much?”
Kirra had asked this question and he hadn’t answered it very well. “Why does anybody like anybody?” he said irritably. “Just because you do.”
Cammon spoke up in an encouraging voice. “You like her hair,” he said.
Sweet gods, and had Cammon just picked
that
up from his thoughts? Senneth was laughing. “Go on, Justin, tell us about her hair.”
that
up from his thoughts? Senneth was laughing. “Go on, Justin, tell us about her hair.”
He grinned reluctantly. “It’s long—way past her waist. Dark. With this—” He waved a hand over the back of his own head—“this light pattern dyed into it. These flowers and bird shapes—I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Surely it was his imagination that Senneth, for a moment, seemed truly aghast. Cammon glanced at her curiously, but Tayse was the next one to speak.
“Did you learn anything about her at all? Where she comes from? What her family is?”
“I don’t think
I’m
the next one who’s going to fall in love with a serramarra,” Justin said, trying to joke. “Pretty sure she’s not from a noble House. If I had to guess, I’d say she’s from deep in Merrenstow or Tilt or Storian, from some tiny farm community miles from any big town. She has a large family— brothers and uncles and cousins—one of her cousins is at the convent with her, in fact. She seems very close to all of them. I think she’s more homesick than she expected to be.”
I’m
the next one who’s going to fall in love with a serramarra,” Justin said, trying to joke. “Pretty sure she’s not from a noble House. If I had to guess, I’d say she’s from deep in Merrenstow or Tilt or Storian, from some tiny farm community miles from any big town. She has a large family— brothers and uncles and cousins—one of her cousins is at the convent with her, in fact. She seems very close to all of them. I think she’s more homesick than she expected to be.”
Senneth was nodding, as if everything he said tallied with something she had expected to hear.
“What have you told her about yourself?” Tayse asked.
“A little bit about my own family.” That surprised the other Rider, he could tell; Justin never discussed his mother and sisters. “A little bit about—oh, soldiering that I’ve done. Said I used to ride in a lord’s private guard. She knows there’s something I’m not telling her. I don’t think she wants to ask in case I turn out to be someone horrible. She’d rather think I’m chivalrous and kind.”
“Well, if she’s seen you in a brawl she knows you’re not
always
kind,” Cammon said, laughing.
always
kind,” Cammon said, laughing.
“I think her brothers are fighters, too. At any rate, she wasn’t that impressed.”
Senneth abruptly got to her feet. “Maybe that’s because you’ve lost your edge a little, skulking about Neft, not working out every day. Maybe you’re not as fearsome as you used to be.”
Surprised and a little wary, Justin grinned up at her. Were they done talking about Ellynor then? He was relieved but not quite sure why the conversation had taken a turn. “Still better than
you
are any day,” he said, making it a taunt.
you
are any day,” he said, making it a taunt.
Her face wore that lurking smile that meant she was thinking something she would never tell you. “Do you think so? You’ve been gone eight weeks, and I’ve been training with the Riders all that time. I just might be able to defeat you. Grab a sword. Let me see.”
He didn’t move. “Can you beat Tayse yet?”
“No.”
“Well, you won’t be able to beat me, either.”
“I bet I can. You’ll be surprised at how much better I’ve gotten.”
He glanced at Tayse, whose own face was unreadable. Was it really possible the other Rider thought Justin’s skills had waned during the days he’d been gone from Ghosenhall? “Practice swords or real swords?” he asked in a silky voice.
Senneth laughed. “Real.”
“Practice,” Tayse countermanded. Senneth rolled her eyes, but didn’t bother arguing. No one contradicted Tayse. The older Rider nodded at Cammon. “You pay attention at the door. Make sure no one comes in unexpectedly to see vagabonds practicing Rider tricks.”
Senneth tossed Justin one of the wooden swords and then, before he’d properly gotten his hold on the hilt, rushed him with her own blade extended. He dodged and parried, laughing, but she wasn’t through. She followed up with a quick series of slashes and feints, still trying to catch him off guard, pressing him hard before he’d even gotten his footing. She hadn’t been joking; she’d improved tremendously in a few short weeks, and her control was impressive. He let her set the pace at first, devoting all his attention to defense, noting where she was strongest, where she was weakest, gauging her true level of ability. Ah, she’d learned that trick from Coeval—and
that
little sidestep from Brindle—but she hadn’t quite mastered that forward lunge, that deadly stroke—
that
little sidestep from Brindle—but she hadn’t quite mastered that forward lunge, that deadly stroke—
He backed away from her, still only defending, tiring her out, though her energy didn’t flag nearly as quickly as he’d expected. She’d been training in wind and weights, too, he guessed; she could probably keep this up half the night. What interested him was that she was really trying to land a killing blow. She wasn’t just practicing on him, enjoying the hard workout and the chance to show off new moves. She really wanted to see if she could break through his guard, bring him to his knees, prove she was a better fighter.
He might have been out of the training yard for two months, but he could still defeat a middle-aged mystic who wasn’t bred for combat.
He stepped forward and smashed three times through her fierce but inadequate defense. “Dead,” he said, as his wooden blade rested briefly against her throat. “Dead,” as the tip pressed against her heart. “Dead,” as he traced a line on her chest from her navel up to her neck.
She fell back, panting and covered with sweat. He dropped his sword-point to the floor and folded his hands across the hilt. “Did you
really
think you might be better than I am?” he asked.
really
think you might be better than I am?” he asked.
She was laughing; something about the exhibition had pleased her deeply. “I always hope,” she said, and pushed back strands of pale hair that clung to her wet forehead. “But didn’t you think I’d improved?”
He nodded. “Oh, yes! If I was a great lord and I was hiring for my civil guard, I’d take you on in a minute.”
Tayse spoke up. “Have you been practicing? Doesn’t look like you’ve lost a step.”
Justin shook his head. “No one to practice with. I’ve done some fencing with shadows here in the stable, but that’s mostly just to keep my muscles in shape.” He handed Senneth his blade so she could put the wooden swords away. Turning away from her, he happened to catch sight of Cammon still watching Senneth, a slight frown on his mild face.
If Cammon was perplexed by someone’s strange behavior, then there was no chance Justin would be able to figure it out.
He took a seat on the floor in front of Tayse where the big man sat on a bale of hay, looking completely relaxed. Of course, if the door rattled or a shout was raised outside, or if Cammon cried out advance warning of an assault, Tayse would be on his feet with a sword in his hand so quickly no one would be able to see him move.
“So what’s in Coravann?” Justin said. “Why there?”
Tayse indicated Senneth with a jerk of his head. “The king wants her to talk with marlord Heffel about his connections with the Lirrenfolk.”
Senneth dropped beside Tayse and leaned against him. Tayse’s arm went around her waist almost absently, as if settling in its proper place. Justin couldn’t imagine ever being so casual about touching Ellynor, so certain that when she was beside him, that was where she belonged.
“Maybe you don’t remember this, but last summer there were Lirrenfolk in Coravann. Heffel’s got relatives across the Lireth Mountains,” she said. “Baryn thinks maybe we can convince the Lirren men to fight for us if the country truly goes to war.”
“I thought the Lirrenfolk weren’t too keen on outsiders. Why would they listen to you?”
She was grinning now. “Can’t you remember anything you’ve ever been told? I lived in the Lirrens a few years back. I was a member of the Persal family of the Lahja
sebahta-ris
.”
sebahta-ris
.”
Nonsense words. “Of the what?” Justin asked.
She waved a hand. “Oh, I guess you’d call a
sebahta-ris
a closely linked network of families. Providentially, Heffel Coravann’s in-laws are also Lahja. That makes me kin. That means they’ll at least listen to me. That doesn’t mean they’ll agree to raise an army for Baryn.”
sebahta-ris
a closely linked network of families. Providentially, Heffel Coravann’s in-laws are also Lahja. That makes me kin. That means they’ll at least listen to me. That doesn’t mean they’ll agree to raise an army for Baryn.”
“I thought Heffel Coravann had decided to be neutral if there is a war,” Justin said.
Senneth sighed. “Yes. That’s another reason this probably won’t work. But it seemed worth a try. Worth the ride out to Coravann Keep and back.”
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