Memory's Wake (27 page)

Left alone in the full but neatly kept library, Eloryn took a deep breath and settled into a leather armchair.

Memory tried to get Roen talking to her. Her mutterings, out of hearing to Eloryn, managed to get the occasional coughed chuckle or bemused half smile from him, but nothing more. It was still more than Eloryn was able.

Roen met her eyes suddenly, and she looked away, embarrassed to have been staring. The atmosphere in this room made her chest tight. It was so much, too much, like Alward’s library at home. Alward, like Lucan, had lovingly filled every space with books for them and their students. From ancient illuminated tomes to newer press printed collections and Alward’s own studies, hand bound and hand written.

The monastery had an extensive library even before Alward arrived. She only had the faintest recollections of the people of the old religion who hid her in her earliest days. Their order valued secrecy on certain subjects, like that of men arriving with motherless children. The old men and women were faded memories by the time she was reading their books.

Eloryn closed her eyes. Leaning back into the armchair, she wondered if those books were still there. After the last of the priests passed away, it was only ever her, Alward, and the books. Often all three together, when she was still small enough to curl up in a chair with Alward and be read to.

I miss him. I miss those books. I even miss the high stone walls.
Eloryn wished she had some token, some belonging of his. It didn’t matter. Soon they would be together again, she just knew it. Maybe then, she could apologize for her error that brought the hunters to them, and hope he forgave her.

“Lory, wake up.”

“No, shush, let her sleep.”

Eloryn opened her eyes to see Memory and Lucan looking down at her.

He grinned, shivering. “Oh, she is awake! Good news, Your Highness, oh better than you could have hoped. Alward is already freed, already on his way here for you!”

Eloryn blinked, worried she really had fallen asleep and was dreaming. “How?”

“The greatest luck. Our man in the resistance was assigned to Alward’s guard after Thayl met with him in Maerranton. He recognized Alward right away and helped him escape first chance he had.”

Eloryn’s head buzzed and her pulse built. She pulled herself up straight in the chair. “He’s coming here, you said? Why would he come here? We were to go to another home on Rhynn island.”

Lucan hesitated just a second. “He knows you’re clever, and that with him gone you would seek us out. He’s coming here for you. I’ll watch for signal of when he arrives. It should be soon. Then we’ll go to meet with him and we can all leave.”

Eloryn’s confusion washed away, and a smile broke across her face, aching unused muscles. She knew Alward would come for her, knew he would escape. He would be there for her again, to look after her.

Next to her, Memory chewed on her fingernails with intense concentration.

“He’ll help you too Mem, don’t worry. He’s so kind, he’ll do whatever he can for you.” Eloryn smiled in divine happiness. “How long, do you think?”

Lucan’s face turned blank. “Oh, well I say I hope soon, but I’m only guessing from the time of his escape. It could be any moment I’m sure, but be comfortable, it may be some wait yet.”

Eloryn nodded, but still got to her feet and began pacing. Anxious joy spread through her.

Memory stole her plush armchair. She curled her legs up into herself and stared at a spot on the wall. Eloryn tried to avoid looking at Roen where he sat across the room on a solid wood bench. A sudden, tangible memory of his lips on hers made her trip in her pacing. Her first and only kiss. She had no idea what it meant or why it happened, and didn’t have the voice to ask. Since then, Roen barely seemed inclined to be within the same room as her. Owain came to her mind, followed by the children she taught. She wondered if they were still there in the village, still safe, or if her very presence in their lives had brought trouble to them as well.

Lucan brought in biscuits and mulled wine, and left them alone again, gone to wait for sign of Alward’s arrival. None of them ate.

Eloryn moved from pacing, to sitting on the bed, to staring at books, to pacing. The others remained still and quiet. In the windowless room it was hard to tell how much time passed. Rain had been pattering against the roof for a while when Lucan’s footsteps thumped up the hall again. She met him at the door.

“He’s here,” he said, wide eyed.

Memory and Roen got quickly to their feet behind Eloryn.

“No no, please, you two should wait. Alward won’t know you. Only the Princess and I should go so he’s not alarmed by strangers.”

“Nah ah, we’re coming too. He’ll see we’re with Lory and know it’s OK,” said Memory.

“No! You don’t understand; he’s careful, he’ll be on guard. We need to explain to him alone first or he might think it’s a trap. He could leave, or attack you. It must only be faces he knows,” said Lucan.

“We won’t be long,” said Eloryn, not wanting anything to risk her chance of reuniting with Alward. “We’ll be back for you right away, and we’ll all leave together.”

Eloryn nodded to Lucan, who bowed her exit in front of him. She looked back and smiled, to see Memory open-mouthed, and Roen frowning.

Lucan strode out of the building with her and down the street toward the square with the wishing well. His steps were long, and she trotted to keep up with him. She didn’t think she could have walked anyway, she was about to burst. She hardly felt the icy rain that fell on her.

Her smile faded as they got closer. She couldn’t see Alward. She’d expected he would stay out of sight, and yet apprehension crept in. The ground was uneven, more footprints than could be explained by their own movements marking the mud. A horse whinnied in the distance. Her excitement curdled.

She slowed her pace, and Lucan turned to see why.

“Something’s not right,” she said.

“Nonsense, come on, don’t you want to see Alward?” Lucan grabbed her elbow and pulled her forward. His hand shook.

“Stop it, please. What are you doing?” Eloryn stumbled. She blinked raindrops from her eyes. He kept his grip tight around her arm, dragging her forward, hurting her. She cried out and tried to pull away. He put his other hand around her mouth, half carrying her into the town square.

Two streaks whistled through the air at them. Her arm stung. She clutched at it, tearing out the tiny metal dart. Lucan reached for his neck, grunting in surprise and dropped her. She fell on her hands and knees.

Eloryn felt the spark inside connecting her to magic close down as it had once before. Her head spun and she fought to stay conscious.

A league of men approached from behind the buildings around them, led by one man, devastatingly handsome with bitter eyes.

“My King, I did it, this is her,” Lucan stuttered.

Thayl bent down, offering Eloryn a hand to help her up. The sadness in his face brought tears to her eyes. “Yes, I can see. It is her daughter. She is like Loredanna reborn.”

Chapter Twenty-One

No way,
Memory thought.
No way was Eloryn going to leave me here after all we’ve been through.

But she had. Alward was here now and she just left her and Roen behind. Sure she said she’d be back, but Memory didn’t own the luxury of trust. She had to find out who she was, know that she wasn’t some sort of devil. She had to find her family and get back home.

“I’m going after them. Are you coming?” she asked Roen.

Roen dropped his head in an unenthusiastic shake. “Don’t want to ruin it for her.”

“You’re not worried they’ll up and go without us?”

Roen huffed out a laugh.

“Fine. Sulk. I’m going to see what’s happening.” Memory marched out the room and Roen tried to call her back. By the time she reached the front door, he was walking with her.

“We better not be seen,” he said.

“Good thing you’re coming with me then.”

Memory peeked out, seeing Eloryn and Lucan just within sight, nearing the square. They ducked out the door and behind the crumbling wall of the next house along.

Roen took the lead, dashing down the street behind low walls and unkempt shrubs, avoiding the growing puddles.

They were still far from the square when Roen stopped mid run, skidding on the wet ground before he reached cover. He stood in open sight, staring down into the square.

A shrill cry broke through the patter of rain and Memory followed his gaze.

“Mem, hide,” Roen grunted and broke into a direct run.

Memory hesitated, wiping rain from her face. She watched Thayl walk out from behind a building, followed by a group of armed men. Her brain whirred. Maybe this wasn’t as bad as it looked. Maybe she could make it not as bad, if she just got a chance to talk to Thayl.

She ran after Roen.

Lucan tugged Eloryn back to her feet. Roen raced for her, leaving Memory behind.

A group of men uniformed in leather military jackets blocked his way. Their leader with his mane of hair and scarred face lunged. Roen twisted past him, sliding low along the ground, and continued to bolt toward Eloryn and Lucan.

Thayl lifted his arm and flicked his rune-covered hand. Light flashed, and Roen was flung the length of the town square. He hit the stone wall of a building with the sound of gravel crunching under boots. He lay still where he fell.

Memory and Eloryn both screamed for him. Memory wobbled to a stop at the edge of the town square, shocked out of movement.

“If your boy’s alive, he will stay that way as long as you both stay calm,” Thayl said, looking to her and then Eloryn. He nodded to the wizard hunters moving toward Memory and they broke away, circling wide around her instead, blocking off her escape.

Eloryn whimpered, “Where’s Alward?”

“
Alward,
” Thayl said, a strange softness in his voice. “Alward was put to death for the crime of murdering Queen Loredanna.”

“No. It was you who killed her. He can’t be dead. You lie!” Eloryn sobbed out her words.

“I do not. I’m sorry for your loss, and your confusion. The help of Lucan here meant I no longer needed him or his knowledge to locate the rest of the council, and was able finally to see vengeance paid for his crime. He did kill your mother. If you don’t believe me, ask her.” Thayl pointed straight armed at Memory.

Memory stuttered as Eloryn looked at her with more pain than she could bear to see. “Thayl, he… he showed me things in a dream, showed me his memories of Alward killing Loredanna. I don’t know what’s true, but that’s what I saw.”

“It is true. Alward only ever took you in, kept you to himself because of the guilt he felt over what he had done. If he hadn’t interfered Loredanna would still be alive. I would never have hurt her,” Thayl bellowed.

Eloryn hung limp like a puppet in Lucan’s unkind grasp.

“Where are the rest of the Wizards’ Council?” Lucan asked.

Thayl smiled rigidly. “Already taken. You’ve nothing to fear of reprisals from them for your fine betrayal. After all this time, it was almost a shame there was not more of a fight. They were entirely unguarded and unaware, so wrapped up in their meeting. They are already under guarded escort on their way for formal execution, thanks to you.”

Memory’s throat grew tight. She didn’t like the old wizards, but she just wanted to be away from them, not to have them executed. In her mind she remembered them as being so frail and grey.

Lucan looked about, an unsure smile on his face. “You said I would be rewarded, that you wouldn’t hunt me any more if I did this.”

“I did, and I honor my word. I will not hunt you any longer. Let the child go,” Thayl said.

Lucan released Eloryn, and shockingly she did not fall. She stared blankly, all life leached from her, the rain soaking her through. She hardly blinked when Thayl put his hand on Lucan’s shoulder, and Lucan dropped dead beside her.

Memory cried out loudly enough for the both of them. Her feet felt glued into the mud around her, her body tingling but unresponsive.

“Not one member of the Council can be allowed to live,” Thayl said. He stared at the body on the ground, lips curling between a smile and a snarl.