King’s Wrath (38 page)

Loethar stood on the rise, looking down towards the convent. It was not the familiar, welcoming sight of the series of buildings that had his attention but the chilling vision of his own army advancing on Lo’s Teeth.

He felt Gavriel’s body stiffen alongside him. They’d achieved an awkward but nonetheless easy sort of truce since de Vis’s confrontation. Leo appeared to have reconciled himself to walking alone. Loethar couldn’t help but feel private sympathy for both; Leo was, after all, doing what any royal in exile should … work towards securing the crown at all costs. Loethar had once pursued the same.

What Loethar had discovered, though, and Leo didn’t yet know, was that the price of the throne — the cost to one’s soul — was too high. Loethar pitied him even as he understood what drove him. Leo had nowhere to go, no reason to live except for finally grasping that crown, making his struggle of the past ten anni count for something. Loethar could forgive Leo his hate.

The truth was, he couldn’t help but like de Vis now too. But the former noble of Penraven had a new reason to detest him. He might have turned down Elka’s love — that much was obvious — but that didn’t mean he approved of whose arms she had since turned to. Nothing had been made obvious; Loethar and Elka had barely stood next to one another during the journey here, but their bond was obvious. De Vis did not have to be too attuned to sense their emotional connection.

And so now Loethar presumed that de Vis would stare down at the advancing imperial army and assume the worst. He was right.

‘You’ve led us into a trap,’ Gavriel said, sounding resigned, as though it had been inevitable.

Elka swung back to stare open-mouthed at Loethar.

‘If you believe that, Elka, you’re a fool,’ he said softly.

‘Why am I staring at your men in such large numbers?’ she asked.

‘It seems they are no longer my men.’

‘But why would they blindly march when presumably there is no war?’

‘No, it’s not that. They think they are following your orders, Loether,’ Gavriel said, and both men shared a glance of understanding.

Elka looked between them.

Gavriel gave a barely discernible shrug and Loethar took over. ‘Stracker must not have mentioned my disappearance to anyone. The men would believe their emperor has commanded them. They trust Stracker; they always have, just not before me. So Stracker has cunningly just kept the chain of command as though he has been instructed by me. The men have no reason to query it. And unless my eyes are playing tricks, those are all Greens I see … Stracker’s most loyal.’

Gavriel squinted into the distance and nodded. ‘All Greens.’

‘All right,’ Elka said, sounding relieved. ‘That makes sense.’ She threw Loethar a look of apology and he returned it with a brief smile that came helplessly to him.
What is happening to the renowned icy heart of mine,
he wondered dryly.

‘But that doesn’t explain why they’re here,’ Gavriel reminded.

‘Indeed.’ Loethar considered. ‘Stracker has absolutely no reason to come here … unless,’ he paused, his mind searching.

‘Unless what?’ Elka prompted.

‘Unless he intends to kill Valya. I told him she was incarcerated here.’

‘Why would he kill your wife?’ Gavriel asked, and it was not lost on Loethar how he subtly emphasised the final two words. He glanced at Elka and noticed the barb was not lost on her either.

‘Because she murdered our mother. And whatever Stracker is, he loved his mother,’ Loethar said, giving Gavriel an icy stare.

‘What about you — didn’t you love your mother?’ Gavriel continued.

‘I did, but I wouldn’t need anything more than a small blade — my bare fists even — to deal with her murderer.’

‘Stracker would not be here to kill her with an army behind him,’ Elka said.

‘No, he would not. He is not scared of Valya.’

‘So someone else has put him up to this,’ Gavriel said slowly.

‘It’s Piven,’ Roddy suddenly piped up from the background.

They swung around. ‘What?’ Loethar queried. ‘You’re sure?’

‘I feel him too,’ Ravan admitted. ‘He and I have somehow been connected since I shared the trammelling of Greven.’

Roddy stepped forward. ‘I no longer feel him as a threat because I am now bonded but I recognise his … his magical “scent",’ he explained.

‘Piven?’ Loethar murmured, amazed. ‘I can’t sense that. But then my magic is non-existent, it seems. So we have to presume that he knows I’m here?’

‘He couldn’t,’ Ravan admitted. ‘He can only know that I’m here and with me likely will be Roddy. Though he won’t know Roddy’s scent because Roddy was not trammelled when he met him.’

‘So, again, why is he here?’ Gavriel demanded. ‘He’s hardly tracking you and Roddy. We know he wants Loethar and Leo dead but Leo is certainly not here, not yet. Or we would know it.’

Loethar’s gaze narrowed as he shifted it back to the convent. ‘Then something he wants is in there,’ he said. ‘Come on, it’s going to take him a little while yet to reach the convent. I want to find out first what he’s after.’

‘Wait, Loethar, surely this will trap us?’ Gavriel said.

Loethar turned. ‘Then stay here with the others out of sight. Keep them safe until Roddy and I return.’

‘No, I refuse to cower in the bushes,’ Gavriel challenged. ‘Anything could happen and we won’t know what’s going on,’ he added.

Loethar nodded. ‘Then follow us, but be quick, everyone. Elka, you’re going to have to pick up Janus.’ She nodded. ‘Ravan, grab Roddy. De Vis, you’re known and mustn’t be spotted.’

‘I’m known?’ Gavriel all but spluttered. ‘Don’t be heroic, Loethar. Elka, grab him, will you, and run. He’s the one who will be recognised in a blink. If we’re seen now, we’re doomed. Come here, Roddy,’ he said, and swept the youngster onto his back. ‘Ravan, you’re the strongest of all of us, I’m sure. Grab Janus, he’s not going to be quick enough. This is not about protection — it’s about speed and not being seen by that army.’

‘Lo’s Balls and Gar blind the lot of you!’ Janus yelled as he was suddenly effortlessly picked up. ‘What is going on?’

‘Hush now, doctor.’ Gavriel nodded at Loethar and Elka. ‘Go! Run for your life. Elka, you know your way in. Jump the wall if you have to and open that damn gate yourself. Don’t wait for the normal friendly welcome.’ He loaded the word
friendly,
as though recalling a previous time when it was far from that.

‘Gavriel, be careful,’ she warned and got a stern look of disapproval from him.

‘Loethar, ask your beautiful Davarigon escort to hurry.’

She scowled at him now.

‘I’d like to mount Elka,’ Janus grumbled from Ravan’s back, but those were the last words anyone heard before each was hurrying, trying to beat the new threat.

No one noticed the lone figure on foot, arriving tired and dusty at the doors of the convent, her dull clothes blending all but perfectly into the landscape so she appeared nearly invisible from a distance.

29

 

Jewd stared at Kilt, his expression thunderous. ‘You what?’

‘You heard,’ Kilt said softly.

‘And it worked.’

He nodded. ‘Apparently.’

‘So what were all the years of running for if it comes down to your willingly allowing a Valisar to trammel you?’

‘Well, the key word there, Jewd, is willingly.’

‘Don’t condescend to me,’ Jewd snapped. ‘What the hell’s going on?’

Kilt gave a helpless, uneven smile. ‘Duty is what’s going on.’

‘Duty?’ Jewd spat as though tasting something dirty.

‘Foreign though it must seem, I am capable of it.’

‘Really? I must tell Lily that next time I see her,’ Jewd cut back at him.

Kilt felt the sharp wound. ‘All right, I deserved that.’

‘Yes, you did. What about Lily and the last ten anni she’s given you, waiting for you to do the right thing?’

‘What about Lily? The last time I saw her she was making doeeyes at Felt the Vested,’ Kilt raged.

‘Who was blind,’ Jewd said as though talking to a simpleton.

‘What difference does that make?’

‘Well, he couldn’t see her making any sort of eyes at him,’ Jewd raged.

‘Irrelevant! She was still making them. She was married to him, let’s not forget. But far more interesting was the reality that she was enamoured with him, or are you so thick you couldn’t tell that?’

‘No, I’m not thick, I’ve just been deluded into believing I knew you well enough. But recent surprise after surprise should have taught me that the friend I’d give my life for is full of secrets and lies.’

‘Jewd —’ Kilt began in soft exasperation.

The big man shook his head. ‘No. Not this time, Kilt. You’re going to have to come up with something very convincing because I can’t think of a single reason why you’d throw all that we’ve worked so hard to protect to the wind for this slip of a woman — a girl in fact, a total stranger.’

Kilt looked down. He knew this would be hard but it was proving a lot more difficult than he’d imagined.

‘Yes, she owns my magic now, Jewd, that’s true. But she owns one part of me that I gave so freely I couldn’t help myself. Even if there was no magic involved … even if she’d just stumbled into our camp or I’d run across her at Francham when I was dressed as a woman, I would still find myself helplessly handing her this part of me. I … I … ’ He hesitated.

‘What?’

‘Love her.’

Jewd burst out laughing. ‘You’re joking, right?’

Kilt scowled. ‘No joke.’

Jewd continued laughing. ‘Oh that’s rich. Poor Lily. She spends ten anni of her life waiting for you to feel like that enough to say it to her and a twenty-anni-old princess on whom you’ve never clapped eyes before snaps her fingers and you not only fuck her within a blink of an eye but now you’re in love with her.’ He grabbed Kilt’s shirtfront. ‘Kilt, you’ve never loved anyone but yourself!’

‘I’ve loved you … and that’s the truth. And now I have someone else to add to that list. I love Genevieve and I can’t help
that. I can’t help that I never did feel about Lily perhaps the way you did. Isn’t that what this is all about, Jewd? You love Lily?’

Jewd let go of Kilt as if burned. An awkward pause lengthened between them.

‘Yes, I love her, you stupid bastard. But she’s never going to love me as long as you’re around.’

They stared at each other, both lost for words at their respective admissions.

‘I’m sorry, Jewd,’ Kilt said finally. ‘I’m sorry you’ve had to suffer around Lily and myself.’

Jewd turned away. ‘Listening to you making her laugh, having to hug her better when you made her cry, reassuring her that you really did care. I picked up after you constantly where Lily was concerned and that’s because I had more love for her in my thumb than your heart held.’

Kilt nodded, deeply saddened. ‘Listen to me … please. I’ve never opened up my heart to any woman. You know that. Lily was … I don’t know, Lily was …’

‘Convenient. She’s pretty and generous and she worshipped you, and she bound your wounds and cared for Leo in a way you never could. She raised him for you and she made all our lives so much brighter … but she was always simply convenient.’

Kilt sighed deeply. ‘It’s the truth when I say I didn’t really know that. I asked Lily to marry me the very day of her disappearance with Kirin Felt.’

‘Well, I suppose it’s a small consolation that perhaps Lily only thought you were the right one. Felt appears to have stolen her heart. I hate him for that but I’m glad she had his love.’

Kilt rubbed his face, feeling helpless. ‘And she had to watch him butchered by that barbarian. I’ll make him pay for that alone!’

Jewd leaned against the wall. They were in the same dry cellar in which they’d taken shelter from the first tendrils of Valisar magic. ‘What happens now?’

‘That depends on you.’

‘Me?’

‘I don’t want to lose our friendship.’

Jewd sighed, blew out his cheeks. ‘You don’t even need me now, do you? I mean, aren’t you all powerful?’

Kilt gave a sad smile. ‘No, she is, not me. I have no will of my own any more.’

‘Is that how you want it?’

He nodded. ‘I think that’s what falling in love is all about — I’ve relinquished control.’ He laughed. ‘Yes, it’s how I want it. I want to be her guardian, her champion … her husband. I want to put my life between danger and hers. The good luck is, we have a very powerful magic to aid that.’

‘And so might Loethar by now, or Leo.’

‘Doubtful but yes, it’s possible. And there is the other Valisar out there, whomever he is. But, Jewd, this is about protecting Genevieve. She has no desire to take the crown. She proved that in desperately trying to give me my freedom.’

‘So we let them all slug it out, do we? All these Valisars?’

Kilt shrugged. ‘My only intention is to get us away from the battleground.’

‘I see. So we spend the last ten anni raising a king only to —’

They heard a yell in the distance.

‘What the —?’ Jewd said, stumbling out of the cellar. ‘It’s de Vis.’

‘He was with Genevieve,’ Kilt said, instantly throwing up a shield around the princess. He and Jewd drew their swords in perfect tandem.

Corbel ran up. ‘Whatever magic you’ve got going on, Faris, you’d want to be wielding it right now.’

‘What’s happening?’ Kilt growled.

‘Loethar! He’s coming down the hill towards us with a giant.’

Kilt and Jewd stared at him, dumbfounded. ‘The Davarigon,’ Kilt breathed. He was about to mention Gavriel but Corbel interrupted.

‘Don’t even bother to ask me if I’m sure, I don’t forget faces. Especially his and even from a distance I know it’s him! Sergius conjured a vision of him for me before I left, told me to remember it.’

‘How long have we got?’

‘Half a bell perhaps. There are others with him — no barbarians that I could see — but his companions are too far away for me to make out. Loethar’s leading, well in front, moving fast, riding the big Davarigon like a horse.’

‘Jewd, I’m going to get the princess. He mustn’t know about her.’

‘He has to know about her already if he’s here,’ Jewd said. ‘Why else would he come here?’

‘Because his wife the empress is here,’ Corbel said, ‘and the daughter he doesn’t know is alive.’

Lily banged on the doors of the convent. She was happy to finally be here, to get some food and lodging but especially some quiet time to think through what was now ahead for her.

She sighed, lifting and dropping her shoulders. She was relieved that she was now a long way from danger but deeply saddened by the fate of her father. Perhaps the famed Qirin could offer her some insight about Greven.

The small viewing door shot back and she was shocked to be confronted by a man. She tried to smile but it failed her and he was quicker.

‘Who are you?’

‘I’m Lily Felt,’ she stammered, using her married name out of respect to Kirin.

‘Lily Felt,’ she heard him yell out over his shoulder.

She blinked. Surely this wasn’t the normal procedure. What was a man doing here? She was just about to say as much when the convent door swung open and she felt herself dragged inside. Gathering up her surprised indignance and straightening, Lily
flashed an angry glance at the man who had manhandled her, but before she could say any more, she was marched from the gate.

‘My name’s Barro. I’ve been told to fetch you.’

‘To where?’ she demanded. ‘The Mother?’

‘Among others,’ he said and hurried her along, away from the main courtyard and into the cloisters where another man waited. There was something oddly familiar about him and she was just trying to place it when she heard a voice she recognised.

‘Hello, Lily.’

Her gaze snapped left to see Kilt emerging from the shadows.

‘Kilt,’ she heard herself say unnecessarily.

It was Jewd, though, who laughed and was suddenly upon her, swinging her up into his arms. He twirled her around. ‘You’re safe.’ He set her down and then paused as he looked at her, before he pulled her into a bear-hug. ‘Lo answered my prayers.’

From beneath his huge arms she looked towards Kilt but as usual she couldn’t fully read the look on his face. There was something hesitant in his gaze; a new secret, no doubt.

Jewd let her go after planting a kiss at each cheek. ‘Brave girl. Well done for coming here.’

She smiled at Jewd, let it linger so he didn’t feel she was ignoring his warm welcome. ‘I didn’t know where else to go,’ she admitted. ‘Frankly I’m more surprised to find you here! I was worried you two wouldn’t get out of the city.’

‘Only when we knew you were relatively safe in your swoon and that Stracker’s sword had been sheathed,’ Jewd said.

She allowed herself to look at Kilt. ‘I had to marry him for my own safety as much as to keep an eye on him.’

Kilt’s expression crumpled into a soft despair. ‘It was too much, Lily. I asked far too much of you.’ He stepped forward and embraced her. It didn’t feel the same. Was it her fault or his? They both stepped back. ‘Are you unhurt?’ he enquired.

She nodded. ‘I escaped. I had help,’ was all she could think of to say.

‘I’m deeply sorry about Kirin Felt. It was obvious that he had done his best to keep you safe and that you … ’ He cleared his throat. ‘That you were fond of him. He deserved that much.’ Before she could say what she wanted to, he continued, as though not wishing to hear her response. ‘Do you know who interrupted proceedings that day? We think perhaps —’

‘I can tell you who it is. It’s Piven.’

‘Piven! Don’t be mad!’ It was the familiar man she couldn’t place, who railed at her.

‘Who is this?’ she demanded.

‘Lily, this is Corbel de Vis.’

She rocked back on her heels. ‘Gavriel’s twin brother?’ she said, unable to mask her confusion.

‘It’s a long story,’ Corbel said. ‘I’m sure Faris will familiarise you with it one day over a pot of dinch,’ he said acidly, ‘but right now with time at a premium, what do you know of Piven?’

‘I have a better idea, given the time frame. Why don’t you go to hell instead, Corbel de Vis?’ Lily suggested. ‘I don’t answer to you. In fact —’ She paused to take a breath and Kilt laid a hand on her arm.

‘Corbel’s under some strain, Lily. No time to explain why fully.’

‘Really?’ Corbel said. ‘This
is
the Lily you mentioned to me, Faris. I think she deserves your full explanation.’

She watched Kilt turn and glance at de Vis with a look that spoke of pain. De Vis ground his jaw.

‘There is no time! Was it truly Leo’s invalid adopted brother?’ Kilt asked.

She sighed, realising there was not going to be a peaceful soak in a tub of warmed water, no much needed meal or quiet reflection.

‘It was Piven. He is no invalid. His faculties are intact; in fact, he is frighteningly intelligent and eloquent. What’s more, Piven is all Valisar. His adoption was a ruse by King Brennus that even
the queen was part of.’ She enjoyed watching Corbel de Vis’s face drain of its colour, watched him struggle to find any words.

‘There’s more,’ she continued. ‘Piven has found an aegis.’

She heard them groan as one, Kilt sucking in air as though struck, but he didn’t look surprised.

‘We wondered as much. But he knew to trammel the aegis?’ he asked.

‘He appears to know everything there is to know about the Valisar magic. He is very powerful in it.’

‘How do you know?’ de Vis demanded.

‘Because I was there! Because Piven took a fancy to me and prevented Stracker murdering me as he hacked my husband to bits.’

She choked back a sob. ‘And because I spoke with the aegis. He was the one who helped me to escape.’

‘Spoke to him?’ Kilt said, frowning. ‘Why would he speak with you or help you?’

‘Because the aegis is my father!’ she hurled back, her glare defying them to deny it.

She was met with a stunned silence.

It was Jewd who came to her rescue. ‘Come on, Lily. You look exhausted. I hate to tell you but there’s more danger coming.’

‘What?’

He nodded. ‘Loethar’s on his way down to the convent.’

She stared back, uncomprehending. ‘Why?’

‘None of us know. But we don’t plan on giving him much of a chance to discuss it.’ Jewd flexed the string of his bow. ‘Once he’s in range, which is any moment, he’s down.’

‘No killing,’ Kilt warned.

‘How come?’ she asked.

Again there was that slight hesitation. ‘Because we can handle Loethar.’

She shook her head in amazement. ‘I can’t be bothered with any of you at the moment, with your double-speak and what
you’re not saying. Get out of my way, de Vis. I can’t say you’ve grown on me as your brother did so quickly,’ she sneered at him. ‘But welcome back from wherever the hell you’ve been hiding.’

De Vis scowled at her but, at a shake of the head from Kilt, didn’t respond. Lily stomped down the hall, running into a group of nuns waiting worriedly.

One of them, clearly senior, held out her hands. ‘I’m sorry you meet us under these difficult circumstances. I am the Abbess here, but clearly you know the gentlemen who seem to be overrunning our convent?’ She said it so kindly Lily wanted to weep.