Dark Moon Defender (Twelve Houses) (67 page)

Read Dark Moon Defender (Twelve Houses) Online

Authors: Sharon Shinn

BOOK: Dark Moon Defender (Twelve Houses)
8.71Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
 
 
Ellynor could hear the grin in Justin’s voice. “I wonder what Tayse thought of all this.”
 
 
“Oh, he thought I was merely recruiting—as, to some extent, I was. I would like to see the king’s army swelled by a few hundred Lirren men, who are fierce and fearless fighters. I didn’t talk about Ellynor until I was alone with Torrin, Hayden, and Wynlo.”
 
 
“Who?”
 
 
“My father,” Ellynor answered.
 
 
“I told them that one of the Lirren girls at the convent— pretending I did not know which one!—had been befriended by a King’s Rider after she had been assaulted on the street. I might have embellished the story a little, but I certainly made Justin seem heroic. And honorable. The sort of man any member of the
sebahta
would be proud to call kin.”
 
 
Ellynor felt her mouth fall open. “You didn’t.”
 
 
“I did. Torrin himself said it. ‘I would like to have such a man as cousin.’ Those were his very words.”
 
 
“But not, ‘I would like to have such a man marry my sister!’ ” Ellynor retorted.
 
 
“Not quite,” Senneth admitted. “But we talked literally through the night. Very delicately. About what might happen if a King’s Rider came courting a Lirren girl. What kind of reception he could expect. Whether it would ever be acceptable to permit a Lirren girl to marry such a man.”
 
 
“I can’t believe this,” Ellynor said. She was feeling a little faint.
 
 
“Your father was, at first, very much against the idea,” Senneth continued. “And he called your uncle in to confer. Torrin and Hayden thought it might be acceptable if a family could be found to adopt this Rider. I said—”
 
 
“I’m willing to be adopted by anybody,” Justin interrupted. “Who do I talk to? What do I have to do?”
 
 
“I said I thought the Persals would be willing to adopt him, but your uncle didn’t like the idea. He said such a thing would only be acceptable if the woman in question were to become
bahta-lo
.”
 
 
There was another moment’s silence while Ellynor absorbed that news and Justin waited for someone to explain. “What’s that?” he asked finally. “What does it mean? Does it involve anyone hurting Ellynor? Because if it does—”
 
 
“No,” Ellynor said slowly. “It involves—it means, basically, that I’m no longer part of the clan. I’m separate. I can return, I am not ostracized, but I am not part of the rituals. Not part of the daily life. I am outside the
sebahta-ris
.”
 
 
“And that might be a sacrifice too great for you to make,” Senneth said quietly. “But it was a solution that appealed to the men of your family. They all were willing to accept it. Even Torrin said, ‘If my sister or my cousin were
bahta-lo
, then I would allow one of these King’s Riders to cross the Lireth Mountains and expect no harm from me.’ He said that, Ellynor. Those very words.”
 
 
For a moment she could not breathe; the implications were too vast. Then she realized that Justin’s arms had tightened around her waist so much that she simply could not draw in air. “I can’t—it’s almost too much to take in,” she said, and her voice sounded dazed and dizzy. “All this time—I have been thinking—there is no hope. And now there’s hope, and I—I can’t—the idea is too big. I can be with Justin if I become
bahta-lo
. Two things I have never considered as possibilities before.”
 
 
Senneth pushed herself upright and then came to her feet. “If you want, I can make Justin leave the room right now, so you can think things through without him nearby.” She smiled. “I’m sure he’s a powerful distraction.”
 
 
“I’m not leaving,” Justin said immediately. “And you’re not big enough to throw me out.”
 
 
“I’ll get Tayse, if you don’t behave,” she said, gently teasing. “He’s certainly big enough. Or Donnal will come in here, shaped like a bear, and drag you from the room.” She grew quickly serious. “Give the girl time to think, Justin. Don’t pressure her into any decision she will later regret.”
 
 
“I won’t. I just want to talk to her.”
 
 
Senneth looked at Ellynor, a question in her gray eyes. Ellynor nodded. “Let him stay. But—thank you. Thank you so much. I can’t believe—you’re a stranger to me—I can’t believe that you would go to such trouble to make me happy—”
 
 
“I did it for Justin, at the time,” Senneth replied softly. “I love him, too. But now that I know you, I can only say I’m glad for your sake as well.” She leaned down and, unexpectedly, kissed Ellynor on the cheek. Her mouth left a warm imprint behind. “Be kind to each other,” she said, and left the room.
 
 
Ellynor and Justin sat in silence for a few moments, though she could feel him forcibly restraining his eager questions. She was still on his lap, still with his arms around her waist, but she sat bolt upright, tense, her mind barraged with darting thoughts.
Bahta-lo!
She had only known two other women with that designation. One had left the Lirrens and gone to live in Gillengaria. The other was a strange, solitary, but peculiarly gifted old woman who had the knack of appearing at whatever house was in most dire need of a healer. If a fever had swept through a whole family, she could be found on the doorstep the next day. If there was a feud between
sebahta
, and the wounded lay dying in the fields, she would suddenly be seen kneeling beside first one fallen body, then another. She was one of Maara’s daughters; everyone knew that. It was said she could cure anyone, as long as she arrived before the patient had drawn his last breath.
 
 
She is probably a mystic, too
, Ellynor realized suddenly.
No doubt all the most gifted healers in the
sebahta
are
.
 
 
That was a comforting thought—that if she accepted the role of
bahta-lo
, she would only be answering to the call of magic in her blood. Doing what any mystic might be expected to do.
 
 
But to leave the
sebahta-ris
behind—! To follow Justin to Ghosenhall, to live among strangers, to give up the daily and seasonal pleasures of her familiar life and learn new rituals, new feasts, new customs. Her heart grew fragile at the very thought; again, it was hard to catch her breath. They were her family and she missed them so much already. . . .
 
 
But you have been glad to be gone from them
, a small voice inside her head reminded her.
You have been delighted to walk the streets of Neft unaccompanied. And you have been fascinated by the prayers and songs and routines at the convent. If you had not grown afraid, you would be happy at the convent even now. Happier still in Neft, even if you had never met Justin. You have always longed to see the world across the Lireth Mountains. Now is your chance
.
 
 
Your chance to see that world—and your chance to have Justin in your life forever.
 
 
He clearly couldn’t stand it any longer. He pulled her closer and kissed the underside of her jaw, since her head was still turned away from him. “What are you thinking?” he whispered. “Am I in your thoughts?”
 
 
She shifted on his legs, put her arms around his neck, rested her cheek against his. She could still feel the heat of Senneth’s kiss, and now it lay between them, like a seal or a brand. “You are always in my thoughts,” she whispered back. “Since the day I met you. You have taken up residence at the back of my mind, and you share every day with me, whether I see you or not. I have not believed there was any course that would let me live my life alongside you. I have not been able to see my way clear to happiness. Now a way is opened, and I know I will take it, but you have to give me a little time to prepare myself. To inhale a deep breath as I take that first step through the woods on a path I never expected to find. Maybe through a different forest altogether. I am happy, but I am a little afraid.”
 
 
“I love you,” he said. As if it was the only answer.
 
 
Maybe it was. She breathed the words against his skin. “I love you, too.”
 
 
 
 
THEY talked and schemed and whispered until, suddenly, all the strength drained from Ellynor’s body. She nearly fainted against Justin’s chest. “Are you sick? Should I call someone?” he demanded fearfully, rising and carrying her to the bed.
 
 
“No—just tired.” So tired. Exhausted by fear and hope and happiness. When she closed her eyes, she felt the room whirl about her, even after Justin had laid her carefully on the mattress.
 
 
“I’m getting Senneth,” he said.
 
 
“Don’t worry,” was her drowsy response. “I’ll be fine.”
 
 
She didn’t even hear him leave the room. She was asleep before the door opened and shut.
 
 
When she woke, the square of sunlight admitted by the window had shifted from the floor to the wall. Several hours must have passed; it was late afternoon or almost night. Ellynor stirred on the bed, feeling remarkably well, then opened her eyes and sat up.
 
 
It wasn’t a surprise to glance over and find someone waiting in the chair beside the bed. The surprise was the person who occupied it. Not Senneth or Justin, but the golden-haired woman called Kirra.
 
 
The
beautiful
golden-haired woman.
 
 
Ellynor hastily pushed herself to a more upright position and tried to strangle her quick surge of jealousy. Justin was not promising to cross mountains and fight off defenders on
Kirra’s
behalf. It was Ellynor he loved, and she believed that absolutely. Still, this woman had come running across half of Gillengaria at the news that Justin was injured. She had sat beside him, finishing the job of healing that Ellynor had only started. She must care about him a little bit. And any man with eyes in his head would certainly feel something for
her
.
 
 
Jealousy didn’t seem to be on Kirra’s mind, though, for her smile was quite friendly. “You’re awake!” the other woman exclaimed, bending forward. “How do you feel? Justin came racing downstairs to find me, telling me you’d fainted. I think you must be weaker than you realize.”
 
 
“I’m exhausted,” Ellynor admitted. “Though I feel better now that I’ve rested.”
 
 
A faint look of satisfaction crossed the perfect features. “And now that you’ve had a touch of magic,” Kirra replied.
 
 
“I’m not like Senneth! I can do a little healing without making someone feel like her skin is on fire. Much more subtle, don’t you think?”
 
 
Ellynor forced a smile. “Indeed. Thank you so much.”
 
 
“But I have to say I envy
your
power,” Kirra went on heedlessly. “When you’re stronger, maybe you can explain what you do. I’m only guessing, but it seemed like you were actually entwining yourself with Justin. Making yourselves almost one body. Could I learn to do that?”
 
 
Ellynor was at a loss. “I don’t know. I don’t think—I mean, nobody ever showed me. It was just something I knew how to do.” She shrugged.
 
 
“Yes, and I didn’t realize magic could be taught, either, until Senneth and some of my other tutors came along,” Kirra replied. “And Cammon’s learning all sorts of tricks from mystics in the city. Think about what you do and then see if you can describe it. I’ll bet you can tell me enough to help me figure it out.”
 
 
That sounded like they were going to be spending lots of time together, sharing secrets, close as sisters. Ellynor couldn’t imagine it. “I’ll try,” she said politely. “Will you be returning to Ghosenhall with everyone else?” She didn’t say “with us,” because she wasn’t sure yet of her own destination. Justin wanted Ellynor to accompany the others back to the royal city. She wanted him to come with her to the Lirrens first. He was willing, but needed to clear his schedule with Tayse first.
 
 
Kirra leaned back in the chair, wholly at ease. She seemed like the kind of woman who was never uncomfortable. “I haven’t decided yet,” she said. “My sister might need me back in Danalustrous—she’s planning a wedding—but it’s been a few weeks since I’ve seen the king. Senneth says I should return to Ghosenhall just for courtesy’s sake.”

Other books

Christmas Past by Glenice Crossland
Christmas Babies by Mona Risk
The Medium by Noëlle Sickels
Scorcher by Viola Grace
I'm Glad I Did by Cynthia Weil