Hatchling (Tameron and the Dragon) (18 page)

Jarrett held out two fingers and spat between them. "I don't know where you learned
that
, boy, and I don't want to. Some matters are too deep for anyone who wants to live in this land. If you know that much, then you know how useless rebellion really is. Considering what you were planning against Tigran and how you helped us yesterday, you're just to sort to end up starving in a cave somewhere and thinking yourself a hero. You'll be nothing but meat for the Protector's patrols."

Tam had been hungry enough already to want to avoid
that
fate. "I'd do anything for Marysa," he said. "But I'm glad I don't have to." He still wished he’d found a way to kill Tigran, though. Then he noticed the cows were huddling together with their horns turned out. He saw movement beyond them, but was it the wind, or the white shadow of a winter wolf behind a tree?

Then they struck. Lean furred shapes leaped out and attacked the cattle. Jarrett beat at one of them with his stick, as did Tam, but there were too many of them. "Go back for help!" the other man cried. "Bring me my bow and arrows, they're in the barn!" The cows lowered their horns and bawled.

Tam hesitated for a moment, and then ran for the house, shouting the alarm as he ran. He dashed inside the cabin for a better weapon, while Aylar burst out, waving a long blade tied to a pole, to save the last of his once-large herd. Marysa ran toward the barn and ran out with her lover’s bow and arrows. Tam went straight for the belt he'd hung up this morning and grasped the hilt of the sword.
His
sword.

He flung himself towards the field of battle. The weapon felt right in his hands as nothing had since Jarrett arrived. He must not be too late. Marysa would be hurt if his rival died, no matter who the land belonged to.
He saw her face, white with fear, as she ran back to the cabin.

A large, light gray wolf brought down one of the cows. Blood spilled scarlet on the white ground from the poor beast's throat. The wolf snarled and turned to fight when Jarrett slas
hed at it with his small dagger, and then reached for the bow. Tam struck before its teeth could tear the other man. Other wolves gathered. Then he was too busy to see what Jarrett and Aylar did.

Tam leaped and whirled, his blade forming a steel shield against tooth and claw. He fought with fierce joy. At last his muscles remembered what they were supposed to do! All the rage he dare not let loose on Jarrett, yes, and Marysa, too, flared at the glorious target of the wolves. He laughed in sheer delight, now he fought back against
something
he was allowed to strike.

Once he wasn't quick enough. Pain ripped through his lower left leg. Tam hacked the wolf down before it could attack him again. The rest of the pack seemed to move in slow motion, giving him time to slice and thrust before they had a chance to avenge their comrades.

His arms became tired, as if he'd chopped two days' worth of wood, yet he dare not let down his guard. More kept coming. He nearly slipped on one wolf's body. Aylar reached out from behind and hauled him back up, then stopped one predator with his makeshift spear.

Tam caught his breath for one brief moment,
and then fought against a pair of great white beasts that attacked him at the same time. One fell with an arrow in its throat, while Tam barely raised his sword in time to block the leap of the other. He cursed as his blade caught on the ribs of one of the beasts, and had to be pulled loose.

The limp, furry corpses at his feet grew in number. At last they stopped coming. Tam leaned against a tree panting with exhaustion. He'd never been so tired in his life, not even when facing that bandit last spring. That hadn't lasted long anyway, one thrust into that big man with rotting teeth and foul breath, and the fellow had fallen...

Then it was gone.
At least my head doesn't hurt from this memory,
he thought absently. And he'd already done his throwing up for the day. It felt a little strange to be here, rather than somewhere else. Where did he belong? For a brief moment he wasn't sure who the other two men were.

He felt like a fool. Of course it was Aylar, who'd rescued him in the woods. And Jarrett. How could he forget Jarrett?

The older man led the surviving cattle back towards the barn. Jarrett came up to him, went down on one knee, and lay down his bow in respect. His voice shook. "I've never seen such swordplay in all the years I've been a soldier, lad. And here I thought you wore it just for show...Lord and Lady, you're more of a protector than the one who sits in Kelemath!"

At that word his memory came back. Tameron dayn Sidian a' Piran remembered it all; who he was, where he'd been, and the bitter shame that came with the healed scars on his wrists.
Protector
. Oh, yes, he knew that word. "No," he whispered. "I wish you hadn't said that."

He turned away and stumbled into the forest, though his leg nearly buckled under him. He had to
go away as far as he could. He couldn't lie to them now that he knew the truth. Better to let them remember him as just Tam. Then he slipped and fell, his face in the snow. He tried to pick himself up, though he felt numb and weak. He had to go home, though little waited for him there.
Maybe I can still go to Warding instead.

"Tam." His rival helped him up. "Why are you trying to run? Is the Protector or one of his soldiers looking for you? I know ways of
helping you get away if that's true."

"Yes. They are looking for me." His own voice sounded distant. "I fell from my horse while riding. I'm that cold prick the Protector's son you saw in Lochil. I remember it now. I remember everything."

Including why he'd left, and why he must go back. Now he knew where he belonged--trapped behind the steel of his armor and the ice of his face, the face they'd trained him so carefully to wear. Trapped in a life where he was only a voice and shadow, with no powers and where guards sold him to the highest bidder. "I remember everything," he repeated softly. "Lord and Lady, I wish I didn't."

Chapter 10

Tameron nearly fell again. The other man put his shoulder underneath Tam's arm. "I don't believe it," Jarrett said. "Now, look, I don't blame you for wanting to claim such high birth, but let's not get ridiculous. You must have overheard me talking about the boy last night. That wall's too damn easy to listen through."

"I remember you, too," Tam said tonelessly, as they both limped along towards the cabin. "Why did you lie? I gave the land to Marysalian and her parents, not to you. It was up to her to make the choice." A good thing the wolves were dead, with the trail of blood he was leaving on the snow behind them.

"How did you know that?" Jarrett said, and stopped. "Wait, if you're really him, what were you wearing?"

"Some blue thing that weighed a ton. I spent most of the time standing because the beads dug into my legs every time I sat down..." Tameron said. Now he had to go back to being on display. "I had to do something! I didn't know if Honnold had killed them all, or what. But I didn't give it to you!"

Jarrett began walking again, still letting Tam lean on him. "She made her choice when she ran down that road to me instead of staying by your side. I love her, too!"

"I know. Honnold wanted the land, but you only wanted her. Nobody wants me, but I have to go home anyway. It's my duty." Duty. Was there anything else? No. Not unless he could heal up fast enough and ride to Warding as just plain Tam.

"Lord Tameron, do you mean to assert your rank?" His rival sounded frightened now.

"Don't call me that!" He began to shiver, like that dreadful night in his room in Kelemath
, only a few short months ago. "I swore to keep silent about what you told me. I meant it. I'm not like them. I don't have any magic. All I'm good at is killing." Was there really a land where it didn't matter whether he had the powers of his family or not?

"I doubt Marysa would agree with that! I was almost jealous after the way she talked about you last night."

Tameron finally realized what Jarrett was really worried about. "If Marysa really loved me, I'd do anything to keep her. But she doesn't..." That still hurt most of all.

"Just a few more steps now. You're the hero today, lad, you might as well make the most of it."

"Don't tell them!" Tameron said. "Not yet! I'll let Aylar know tonight." He still had a chance to choose for himself.

"You don't seem that happy about it, I must admit," Jarrett said. "And here we are."

Tam saw the cabin clearly now, a pitiful bundle of logs and boards compared to what he was used to.
Randor wouldn't use this shack to store wood in,
he thought,
but I'm going to miss it.
For all its small size and ugliness, it had been his home.

His left leg finally refus
ed to hold at all. He pitched forward at the threshold even with Jarrett at his side.

"Aylar! Come help!" Jarrett shouted. Aylar rushed out and the two men carried him the rest of the way to one of the beds, where Dorena pulled up his trouser leg and began cleaning the claw-marks with a basin of water and some rags.

Tam let tears run down his face, though the slashes really didn't hurt that much when the older woman rinsed the wounds with ale. He ought to be stronger. Once he was home, he'd have to learn how to put on the face of 'that cold prick the Protector's son' again.

When Jarrett and Aylar started
to go out the door to salvage the carcasses of the dead cows, and the skins of the wolves, Dorena stood straight up. Her eyes looked strange, like Tigran's when he'd been stopped from burning them all. Now they were light gray, not dark brown. "I knew there was more to this!" she said, but with the Guardian's voice.

Tameron tried to sit up, a move he instantly regretted.
No!
he thought to himself.
Won't I have a chance to decide anything for myself?

Everyone stared at Dorena. She began speaking, just like when the Guardian had taken over the mage's body and voice. "I see that I have found two treasures in one box with this family," she said. "Marysalian, are you content with the judgment handed down to you? Remember, the land was given to you and your parents, as well as to your choice of partners. The guilty will be punished, but not by your hands. Such things are not for you
, nor your kin. Be content."

Marysa bowed respectfully to her mother. "I hear and obey, merciful lady." She gave Jarrett a look that boded ill for the future,
but softened it with a smile when her lover spread out his hands in a silent plea for forgiveness.

'Dorena' stared down at Tam. "Seeing through the eyes
of others often brings unexpected insight. Lord Tameron, your father has been looking for you for months. You shall be brought home as soon as possible."

The old woman's eyes shifted back to brown for a moment. "Not till he's recovered, he won't! That leg of his won't
heal up in a day. Look at all this blood!"

Tam smiled. Dorena cared so much for him that she'd argue with the Guardian herself over his welfare.

'Dorena' changed again. "Never fear. The mage who will take him back to Lochil must first ride out there, since he cannot use his powers to go where he has never been. The weather is foul here, too. We'll have to wait a week before we can send this other mage out to Bogatay, and it will likely be a day more for him to find your place. The Protector's son won't suffer any pain or weariness on the journey back. We will care for him, too."

Tam shook his head. That was a lie.
No, that's not fair,
he chided himself.
The Guardian helped me more than anyone in Kelemath ever did. Even if my father's there she'll find a way.

Dorena nodded briskly, as if agreeing with the intruder. Then her eyes went blank
, and she fell as the Guardian left. Aylar barely caught his wife before she landed on top of Tameron in the bed. The older man laid her down on the other cot and stared down at both of them. "I hope you're worth all this!" he snapped.

Tameron said, "I'm sorry, I know the Guardian didn't mean to hurt her."

Aylar's eyes turned bleak. "Now do you understand why I didn't go talk to the Lady when I was in Lochil?"

"Oh, don't take on so," Dorena said weakly, opening her eyes. "I'm just tired. And who wouldn't be, with all this excitement? Really, Aylar, I
told
you he was from good family..."

"Just rest, love, just rest. Marysa can manage supper, and Lord Tameron's leg has stopped bleeding."

"I think I will..." Dorena closed her eyes again.

This is just like a story where some boy discovers he's really the lost heir to a rich kingdom,
he thought.
Only I wish I could give it all up.
He tried to seem grateful when Jarrett congratulated him on his good fortune. It wasn't right to ask for help to escape from anybody here now. If anything went wrong, they would suffer his father's wrath.
A poor return for all they've given me,
he realized.
Even Jarrett.

Besides, it would
take all the time the Guardian was going to give him and then some for his leg to heal. Leaving here with it still injured was slow death in this weather, and he knew now that he wanted to live.