Honor's Price (27 page)

He wanted so much more, to lay her down on the soft grass and make love to her, to once again claim her as his own. There was no time for that. Not with the world around them going black.

“Theda, I will come for you.”

She cupped the marked side of his face with the palm of her hand, her touch a blessing he needed so badly. “I know you will.”

“I love you.”

As soon as he said the words, she disappeared from his arms. No longer in Keirthan's garden, Kane was back sprawled on the damp rocks on a moonless night. Had Theda heard him? Or had he simply imagined it all? He rubbed his mage-marked cheek, missing Theda's touch.

As if sensing Kane's pain, Hob raised his nose to the sky and howled, his eerie call echoing off the rocky bluff above the water. Kane considered joining in as he often did when the two of them hunted together. Not tonight, though. He had other business to attend to before he could return to the keep.

He approached the water, aware of Hob and Rogue moving to stand on either side of him. If he thought it would do any good, he would have ordered them to leave. He was the only one who should have to stand before the gods this night.

However, he trusted the gods to not punish his companions for their loyalty to him. He knelt on one knee, head bowed. He remained in that position for several minutes, silent and penitent. When he finally spoke, his voice was rough and low as his emotions welled up and threatened to choke him: regret, anger, hatred, and most of all his love for his friends and Lady Theda.

“My Lord and Lady, I stand before you to confess my failures.”

It was the Lady who answered. “And what failures would those be, Lord Kane?”

She knew full well everything her warriors did, but he
would list his transgressions aloud if she needed to hear them.

“I used the magic my grandfather forced upon me, breaking my vow to forswear it. In anger, I cursed your name. And I have let my emotions cloud my judgment. If I could've convinced Lady Theda to leave with me, I fear I would've forsaken my friends and duty to you.”

“Your anger is forgiven, Lord Kane. It was your love and worry for the woman who has claimed your heart speaking. We know you will stand strong when we need you the most. As for your magic, it is part of you, not something that can be tossed aside or shoved into a box. You wielded it to save your life and to weaken the enemy. Where is the wrong in that?”

A soft breeze toyed with Kane's hair, as a mother would pat her child on the head.

“Your four-footed companions stand with you because they, too, know you for a man of honor. Now rise and return to the captain and your friends. Time grows short and the battle the Warriors of the Mist must fight grows near. One more thing, Lord Kane. The dream was real in your mind and in your heart, as it was for Lady Theda. She heard your words. Take comfort in that.”

“Thank you, my lady.”

Kane rose to his feet, bowed toward the river, and led his companions back down the mountain.

“H
ow much farther?”

Kane let Averel answer Gideon's question. His memory of the route from this point on was a tangled mess. On their journey to the capital, he'd taken a different approach to the city gates, one that didn't pass through this area. When he and Averel had escaped, he'd been too caught up in the pain of leaving Theda behind to care about the landscape.

Averel stood in his stirrups to look ahead. “The city is less than an hour's ride beyond that farthest ridge. This road winds around to the east end of those hills, where it joins up with one of the main trade routes.”

It was time for Kane to contribute something to their effort. “If I'm correct, there's a small river just west of here that cuts through the forest. I suggest everyone set up camp there for tonight. While you get everyone settled, I'll take the scouts out to reconnoiter.”

Murdoch joined them. “Sigil and I will hunt. We could all use some fresh meat.”

Gideon glanced behind them, his mouth set in a grim line. Kane followed Gideon's line of sight back toward the women stopped a short distance away. Not one of the three had uttered a single word of complaint over the long, hard ride that had brought them to this point, but their near exhaustion was clear.

The captain's decision wasn't long in coming. “Averel, tell the men to ride for the river and set up camp. Post a double circle of guards, one near the camp and the other
at the outer edge of the forest. Murdoch, hunt but don't stay gone long.”

The big knight nodded and rode away, waving for Sigil to join him. That left just Kane and Gideon. He shifted in the saddle as he waited for his friend to finish giving orders.

“Send out the scouts, but I want you with me. We have plans to discuss, and I want your opinion. After we eat tonight, I plan to hold a war council and to present a united front to our allies. If we're going to argue about how we're going to do this, I'd rather do so in private.”

What did Gideon have in mind that he thought Kane might object to? “I will join you as soon as I've given the men their orders.”

“I'll be helping Merewen get our camp organized.” Gideon kept his eyes on the horizon, a clear sign he was uncomfortable with what he was about to say. “I understand why you've been more at ease sleeping away from the rest of us. But now that we're this close to the capital, I'd rather you stay in camp.” When Gideon finally looked toward Kane, he wore a puzzled look. “Are you all right?”

That's when Kane realized he'd been rubbing his chest right over the spot where he'd worn the symbol of his office as captain of the duke's guard. He jerked his hand back down to grab Rogue's reins. Surely that connection to Keirthan had been broken when Kane quit wearing the duke's sigil. Was the ache real or memory?

Either way, he owed Gideon an explanation. “When the duke made me captain, he gave me an emblem to wear that showed my new rank. I didn't realize at first that he'd infused it with some of his magic. I suspect now that it was what enabled him to override my magic and imprison me. It weakened my resistance to magic of all kinds.”

Gideon maneuvered Kestrel closer to Rogue. Other than flicking their ears back and forth, for once the two stallions remained calm. “I'll ask again. Are you all right?
If there's a chance you're still connected to him in some way, we need to know that now.”

Kane wanted to deny even the possibility, but he wouldn't lie to Gideon. “It didn't interfere with my efforts to weaken the store of magic he'd poured into Damijan, that abomination he created. It was definitely my own magic that crushed his altar.”

He closed his eyes, turning his senses inward. If there was something foreign inside of him, he couldn't sense it. That didn't mean much.

“Gideon, I cannot swear that I am completely free of that bastard's influence. If at any point you have doubts about my loyalties or my actions, don't hesitate to act. Your duty is to protect Lady Merewen and her people.”

“You don't need to remind me of my duty, Kane,” Gideon snapped.

Kane leaned in close enough to grasp Gideon's sword arm. “Swear by the goddess that you won't fail to do what's necessary if I'm the source of the danger. I would rather die than dishonor all that we have done.”

It was his captain who slowly nodded, accepting the burden of the vow. But it was his friend who took Kane's hand in his own and said, “Your honor is my honor, Kane. You have never failed me in all our time together. I will not fail you in this.”

His words lifted a weight off Kane's shoulders. “I'll send out the scouts and then find you. And, Gideon, if you still want me to, I will pitch my tent next to yours. With the battle soon upon us, I would spend these last hours with my friends.”

Gideon smiled. “I would have it no other way.”

*   *   *

Ifre wasn't used to manual labor, but he didn't want anyone other than Sergeant Markus to know Kane had succeeded in destroying his altar, the symbol of Ifre's power. It would be seen as a sign of weakness by anyone who thought to stand against him.

Markus had made inquiries about the troubadour.
Just as expected, the man had disappeared. The sergeant had verified the man's belongings, his horse, and dogs were all gone.

Ifre swept up another shovelful of broken rock and dust. If he didn't hate Kane so much, he would have admired the warrior. Whatever the man had used to shatter the altar, he'd done a thorough job of it. Perhaps he'd had help. Was the troubadour a mage as well? If so, he would've left behind some trace of his magic. Ifre muttered a curse. Why hadn't he thought to check earlier? By now even the residue of Kane's powerful magic had faded. Ifre held his hands over the pile of rubble, his fingers spread wide as he chanted softly under his breath.

Nothing. Not even a faint tingle other than the familiar feel of Kane's magic. That was reassuring. Having one powerful mage set against Ifre was bad enough.

Picking up the broom that the sergeant had left for him, Ifre started on the far side and swept the dust toward the area where the altar had stood. As he worked, something sparkled in the pile of dust. He used the broom to clear away the dust, revealing a piece of gold wire. Reluctant to touch anything Kane might have left behind, he bent down to study his find.

It was a pin, and judging by its length, the kind used to fasten a cloak. He held his hand over it briefly, but sensed no magic attached to it. Even so, he used a bit of rag to pick it up and carried it over toward the fire pit, where the light was brighter.

Just as he suspected, it was a stick pin, one he recognized. The pin used to belong to Ifre's own mother, part of the jewelry that was handed down from one generation to the next. His brother, Armel, had gifted his wife with the collection on their wedding day.

So this pin hadn't belonged to Kane or the troubadour. It was Theda's. All the pieces fell into place, solving the mystery of how Kane's friend managed to infiltrate Ifre's stronghold without being caught. Clearly she'd led him through the great hall and then somehow unlocked
the door to the labyrinth for him. Most likely they'd used her pin to pick the lock on the shackles and lost it in their hurry to escape.

The only question that remained was why Theda would risk so much for a man like Kane. But the answer was obvious. Somehow she had subverted Kane's allegiance to Ifre for her own purposes. Had she betrayed Ifre, thinking to win her freedom? If so, why had Kane left her behind? She should have known better than to trust a common mercenary. If he would betray Ifre, then why not her?

None of that mattered. Her actions would cost Theda dearly, starting with the blood and lives of her friends. Their virginal blood would restore the strength of his magic. They'd die screaming as Theda watched, helpless to do anything to relieve their suffering.

Then Theda herself would learn the feel of his knife and the depth of his vengeance.

Markus's arrival interrupted his thoughts. Ifre shoved the pin in his pocket, looking forward to the moment he confronted Theda with her crimes.

“Ah, Sergeant, I'm glad you're here.”

Markus saluted Ifre. “Sire, I have news.”

The sergeant was careful to keep the entrance to the tunnel to his back, so most likely the news wasn't good and Markus thought to escape Ifre's wrath. Did the fool really think he'd be able to reach safety that way? He'd seen what had happened to Kane when he'd tried to escape Ifre's control. Markus would stand no chance at all against Ifre's power.

“Well, I'm waiting.”

Markus drew a deep breath before speaking. “One of my men confessed there'd been a problem when he was assigned to guard the hall. The fool had a skin of wine that he stopped to drink from when he thought he heard a noise. The next thing he remembers is waking up sprawled in one of the hallways stinking of wine.”

“Has his drinking been a problem before?”

“No, Sire. He's one of my most dependable men, which is why I assigned him to this particular duty. I believe he was rendered unconscious and dragged to that hall.” The sergeant sounded defensive, as if he knew how improbable the guard's story sounded.

“I believe him, too, Sergeant. I have found evidence that we have a traitor in our midst, but it wasn't a member of my personal guard. Despite Captain Kane's treachery, you and your men are above reproach.”

Markus looked marginally happier, but then he frowned. “Then you know who the traitor is?”

“I do.”

He immediately unwrapped the pin and held it out for Markus's inspection. The sergeant stepped forward to stare down at the piece of jewelry.

Recognition wasn't long in coming. “It bears your family crest, Sire. Are you saying Lady Theda is the traitor?”

Ifre returned the damning piece of evidence to his pocket, his expression grave. “That's exactly what I am saying, Sergeant. For the moment, I do not plan to accuse her of crimes against the crown. Once I have restored my altar, though, she will answer for her betrayal. When I am ready, you will deliver her and her ladies to me here.”

For a brief second, Markus looked shocked, but it didn't last long. The man was nothing if not pragmatic. He knew full well that he would have to produce the women or take their place.

“Yes, Sire. Until that time, is there anything else I can do to assist you?”

“Empty the cart and then return to finish the rest of the cleanup. The stonemason assured me that my new altar will be ready by tomorrow at the latest.”

As Markus trudged back down the passage with the heavily laden cart, Ifre picked up the broom and went back to work. By this time tomorrow, he would begin the arduous process of rebuilding his power. Once Damijan
was up to full strength, he would unleash it upon his enemies.

And then maybe upon his friends.

*   *   *

Theda watched her brother-in-law from afar. He'd been remarkably calm since losing Kane, which was far more disturbing than if he'd exploded with fury. He hated being thwarted in any way, and this had been a major defeat for him. Why was he taking it so calmly?

A chill of dread washed over her. He wasn't calm. He was plotting. With Kane and his friend safely out of reach, that meant Ifre had another target in mind for his revenge. The possibilities were limited, each one worse than the next.

There was the guard that Averel had rendered unconscious. Had the man regained his memory of what had happened? If he claimed to have been attacked, would Sergeant Markus believe him? As far as she knew, the man hadn't seen her at all, so at least he couldn't point a finger in her direction.

Then there was Tom. There were only so many ways into the building. Had Ifre or Sergeant Markus figured out Averel had come in through that door? She'd known she was putting her friend at risk, but her need to help Kane had left her no choice.

Should she warn him? Yes. Tom needed to disappear before it was too late. He would resist leaving, but she wouldn't let him die because he'd remained her friend. If Kane and his friends were successful, he would be able to return to the city soon. If they weren't, the capital wouldn't be a fit place for anyone to live.

That left her. Ifre had always had plans for her once her mandatory time of mourning was over. She still had a month left before custom declared she could remarry. If Kane had been willing, she would have ignored the tradition, but she was grateful for the scant protection it had offered her from Ifre.

If Ifre somehow connected her to Kane's escape, nothing would save her. They'd been so careful, and she'd returned to her quarters without being seen. She'd hidden her bloody dress and then later destroyed it. Her slippers, too. The only thing she'd kept was her cloak. After washing it clean of Kane's blood, it was as good as new.

“Are you all right, Lady Theda?”

She'd been so lost in thought, she hadn't noticed Sergeant Markus's approach. He offered her a cup of wine.

“I noticed you were looking a bit pale and thought perhaps a drink would help.”

She had no choice but to accept the wine. To refuse in so public a place would draw too much unwanted attention to them both. Although she hated to admit it, the wine did taste good to her.

“Thank you, Sergeant. I appreciate your thoughtfulness.”

Then she noticed the emblem pinned to his tunic. “Forgive me for not noticing sooner. Congratulations on your promotion, Captain Markus.”

He tilted his head in acknowledgment. “Thank you, my lady. I was honored when Duke Keirthan offered me the position.”

She took another sip of her drink. “I hadn't heard that Captain Kane had resigned.”

“The duke chose not to make a formal announcement about his departure. It was rather, shall we say, unexpected.”

“You have served the duke well, Captain. I'm sure he will reward you for your loyalty.”