Moons' Dreaming (Children of the Rock) (58 page)

“
The horse will outrun them. We
’
re only talking about a few hundred yards. The horse will be as frightened as you are.
”

“
I doubt that.
”
Ivey squirmed unhappily in the saddle. He hadn
’
t enjoyed the several days they
’
d spent riding from Raisal.
“
What if he runs away with me?
”

“
Just point him in the right direction. I
’
ll do the rest.
”

Ivey shut up. There was no arguing with Sene
’
s easy confidence. Of course he was confident. He
’
d slain monsters all his life, taught his son the same trade. Chasa had survived the experience. Ivey wanted to feel reassured, but didn
’
t. The sun was shining in a crystal blue sky, the herd of gazelle browsed peacefully a mile downwind of them, yet Ivey couldn
’
t enjoy the beautiful day. The phantom cats hidden somewhere in the brush and tall grass wouldn
’
t leave his thoughts.

Sene glanced over at him.
“
Don
’
t be ashamed of your fear. It
’
s the proper response. They
’
re monsters, after all.
”

“
I
’
m more annoyed than ashamed,
”
Ivey admitted.
“
After all the stories I
’
ve told about these beasts, your plan shouldn
’
t surprise me. I understand that the magic will draw them to any of the Children, no matter how much other game is available.
”

The leather of the saddle creaked beneath him as he shifted once more. He
’
d never liked saddles. A good riding pad was just as comfortable. But Sene had insisted he would appreciate the stirrups before their hunt was over.

“
A story
’
s no substitute for personal experience,
”
Sene said.
“
You
’
ll find more meaning in your songs after tonight
’
s work.
”

“
I
’
ll be grateful later.
”

Sene pointed in the direction of the gazelles.
“
We
’
ll wait at the foot of that rise. The cats will hunt again at dusk. Once they
’
ve made their first kill, move in and attract their attention. The herd shouldn
’
t drift much before then. You
’
ll have a good run toward me, upwind and no obstacles.
”

The king nudged his horse with his heels and they started toward the position he
’
d chosen. Over his shoulder he added kindly,
“
Believe me, you won
’
t be so nervous next time.
”

“
Next time?
”
Ivey
’
s voice, usually an obedient instrument, rose unsteadily.

Sene
’
s grin was actually enthusiastic.
“
I
’
m sure you
’
ll hunt often with Chasa. It
’
s all part of the routine for a member of the ruling family.
”

Surprise almost overcame Ivey
’
s fear.
“
What?
”

The king
’
s eyes narrowed.
“
I thought you
’
d noticed my daughter
’
s intentions. No?
”

Ivey found he was glad of the stirrups as his mind reeled.
“
What
…
uh
…
yes. I mean, we
’
ve talked. A few times. But I
’
d never presume to interfere with your choice of who she
—”

“
She interfered with that already. Don
’
t you like her?
”

“
Of course I like her! She
’
s lovely. Smart. Funny.
”

“
Likes your singing.
”

“
Likes my singing.
”
I could be happy with her
, Ivey thought with another burst of surprise.
“
But we hardly know each other!
”

“
Well, get on with it,
”
the king ordered.
“
And let me know your decision, lad.
”

“
Before or after I
’
m attacked by the phantom cat?
”
Ivey wanted to know.

Sene laughed.
“
It
’
s not the phantom cat you have to worry about. Just trust me, and ride as hard as you can.
”

“
Yes, Sire. If you say so, Sire.
”

* * *

Dael shaded his eyes with one hand against the westering son. Gods and mothers, what a mess.

He had been with one of the border patrols when they found signs of an Abstainer band in the area. The hunt had lasted two days. When they knew they were close, Dael and one of the guards, a young woman named Janakol, went ahead to scout out the area. From the trail the band left, he had expected a large group, perhaps a match in numbers to the dozen people in the guard troop.

Now, the ruddy afternoon light revealed at least four times that many Abstainers, all well-armed, milling about a camp that showed inexplicable signs of order.

Dael and Janakol circled the encampment at a safe distance. The dry ground revealed little, until they approached the Sitrinian side of the border. Janakol, a few steps in front of him, held up her hand in warning.

“
Company, Captain.
”

A single horse, wearing saddle, bridle, and a set of hobbles, grazed in the sheltered hollow. Dael didn
’
t have to approach the animal to know they were in even more serious trouble than he
’
d realized. The familiar Sitrinian colors on the horse
’
s tack were bad enough. The unmistakable insignia on the saddle cloth, used only by members of the royal house, was worse.

Janakol glanced at Dael and whispered,
“
One of their patrols, after the same thing we are?
”

Dael chose not to correct her.
“
Could be. Keep alert.
”

They found a good vantage point on a grass-shrouded hill in Sitrinian territory. Less than twenty yards from the border, but a Sitrinian hill nonetheless. Dael watched a commotion begin in the camp, and guessed that they might not have to worry about a guard patrol objecting to their act of trespass. Even from this distance, he could make a good guess at the identity of the fair-haired man who
’
d somehow gotten himself trapped on top of the only portion of a building still standing on top of the Abstainer
’
s hill.

Chasa, son and heir to Sene of Sitrine.

Janakol gripped Dael
’
s forearm.
“
Captain! Is that who I think it is?
”

For a moment, Dael
’s
heart sank. If Janakol recognized the prince, the rest of the troop would, too. Then he realized that she was pointing not at Chasa, but at the large man who stood at the foot of the building. His bellowing voice, if not his actual words, carried across the gully over the chatter and curses of his excited followers. Dael had never heard another voice like it
—
and had hoped he would never hear it again.

“
Soen,
”
he breathed.

“
I thought he was dead!
”

Mad Soen. That would be bound to arouse Hion
’
s interest. As for Chasa
—
assuming Dael could get him away from the Abstainers, then what? Hold him captive, for the crime of entering Rhenlan territory? If Dael did that, Damon would be ecstatic. He might even make some twisted claim about the prince being advance scout for an invasion. Everyone knew how heavily the Sitrinians patrol
led
their borders. Suspicion of Sitrine was Damon
’
s favorite excuse to add to Rhenlan
’
s guard. Would he goad King Sene into declaring war to get his son back? It was very possible that people were going to die because one idiot had strayed over a border that nobody cared about ten years ago.

Unless I interfere.

Dael motioned Janakol to withdraw. The situation wasn
’
t beyond saving. Not yet. According to Nocca, two members of the guard troop were part of Damon
’
s spy corp. The rest were simply loyal guards. It would not occur to any of them to carry tales back to Edian, unless Dael did something unequivocally treasonous. He was not ready to confront them with the challenge of choosing between him and the king. Jordy was beginning to plant seeds across the kingdom that might, in time, prepare the way for an uprising
—
but not yet.

The very idea of defying Shapers was difficult for many to grasp. King
’
s guards were no different than other Keepers. Dael hoped that when the choice was clear and the decision unavoidable, the groundwork laid by Nocca would ensure that the majority of Rhenlan
’
s guards would refuse to fight an unjust battle against their fellow Keepers. At least, that was the plan. It would have a greater likelihood of success if Dael was there to set an example for the rest. He couldn
’
t afford to displease Hion, or Damon, and risk losing his position in the guard.

He didn
’
t know why he was worried about taking Chasa prisoner. He had to get him away from the Abstainers, first.

Once out of sight of the Abstainer camp, he touched Janakol
’
s shoulder. The band of Abstainers was so large that, even without the complicating factor of Chasa
’
s presence, they would have had nothing to fear from a single troop of Rhenlan guards. However, the troop might be able to cause the diversion he needed to extricate Chasa from his impossible position.

“
Now what, Captain?
”
she asked, voice low.

“
I
’
m not sure. Odds of four to one, at least. Not good.
”

“
Especially not if that
’
s really Soen.
”
She shuddered, the twitch of her shoulders obvious even in the deepening twilight.
“
Stones, a Shaper Abstainer! Do you suppose there
’
s a troop or two of Sitrinian guards nearby, to go with that horse we saw?
”

“
It
’
s possible.
”
Dael looked over Janakol
’
s shoulder. The setting sun cast their long shadows toward a patch of scrub forest, about a quarter mile behind the Sitrinian border. A flicker of movement, an uneven patch of blackness darker than the oncoming night, warned him that someone lay hidden at the foot of the trees.
“
But I wouldn
’
t count on it. We need reinforcements.
”

“
We might have to ride halfway to Edian to find anyone.
”

“
If that
’
s what it takes. I don
’
t want that many Abstainers still at large when winter comes. We
’
ll send two guards to find the nearest patrol and spread the alarm.
”
He named Damon
’
s spies. If others in the troop suspected favoritism, so be it. At least those two would be out of his way.

“
The rest of us will follow the band. Maybe they
’
ll split up, and we
’
ll have a chance to pick them off in smaller groups.
”
He waved Janakol in the direction of the waiting troop.
“
Go. I want them on the road right away.
”