Raven's Hand (26 page)

Radden’s son had left her in a terrible
situation. Without the girl in hand, Steven would soon die, and
Nathan would have no means to assume the throne. House Rainier’s
enemies would quickly rally against them. The city might even come
under siege.

Whatever had happened earlier to destroy part
of the palace had done no more damage since. Kane mentioned the
girl using her power, but Evelyn doubted she wielded that kind of
power. She was far too young. It wasn’t as if she was Eliam’s
priestess, Shalindra.

Radden remained silent for a moment before
speaking again. “Majesty,” he said, trying to choose his words very
carefully, “I assure you there must be something unknown in this
situation. Killian would not do these things of his own volition. I
will do all that I can to help you find him. I only beg that you
give my son an opportunity to explain why these events have
happened as they have.”

Kane grinned, glancing sidelong at his queen.
“I believe him, Majesty,” he said in a calculating fashion. “Radden
does not understand his son’s actions, but surely he can assist us
in Killian’s
apprehension
.”

Radden swallowed with difficulty. His throat
was feeling a bit dry at the moment. He did not wish to confer any
guilt on his son by his words. However, there seemed little
recourse in this situation without seeming to be a traitor himself.
That would do nothing to save his son.

“As I’ve already said, Majesty, there must be
a rational explanation for his behavior. I only ask for your mercy
and patience. After all, as his father, I also want to know why
these events have transpired. I cannot explain his actions any more
than you.”

Now, Evelyn spoke up. “Oh, I believe I can
explain his behavior quite easily, beginning with the kiss he gave
the girl in the alley following the Cinderman attack. The boy has
become infatuated with a beautiful girl. It’s plain old lust that
drives this madness against the crown. But madness will not save
him from my vengeance.”

“Majesty, I can—”

“What you can do to help is just what you are
doing now—remaining in custody,” Evelyn continued, interrupting
Radden. “I’m going to set a day for your execution and have the
event published throughout the kingdom. Either your son will come
to take your place, or you will pay for his crimes against House
Rainier. I will not barter. One of you will die for what has
happened.”

Radden could only stand there and listen to
Evelyn’s decree. He wondered briefly about the possibility of
escape. Then he glanced at Kane standing there and
reconsidered.

The queen’s bodyguard had a reputation that
preceded him by miles. The man was considered second to none as an
assassin for hire. However, these days, he only worked for Queen
Evelyn and House Rainier. Trying to escape with him around would be
an even quicker death than Evelyn’s threat of public execution.

“I can hear the wheels turning in your mind,”
Kane said to Radden.

“I wouldn’t advise any attempt at escape,”
Evelyn warned. “There is no man in my kingdom quite like Kane.”

The assassin arched an eyebrow, apparently
uncertain whether Her Majesty meant the comment as an insult or a
compliment. Radden noticed a shadow of contempt cross Kane’s face
while regarding Queen Evelyn. He might have been completely loyal
by appearance, but that look hinted at something brewing just below
the surface. Radden wondered if Evelyn even considered the fact
that Kane could kill her as easily as him.

Finally, he asked the obvious question. “What
happens now, Majesty? Am I to be interred in the palace dungeon
now?”

“Unfortunately, that is precisely where your
son escaped from,” she said. “Therefore your accommodations will be
more comfortable.” She said to Kane, “Have him placed into one of
the cells made for the Daughters of Eliam. Even if they make it
back into the palace, attempting a rescue, they’ll not think to
look there for him. In fact we will publish his location, awaiting
execution, in the dungeon in the same cell his son occupied.”

“And leave a garrison below to wait for
them?” Kane asked.

“Precisely,” Evelyn confirmed.

Radden sighed in resignation. He had no
options right now. Possibly, something might present itself, but at
the moment he would have to do as Evelyn commanded. He could only
hope that Killian did not return for him.

“If your son does return, Radden, and if he
surrenders the girl unspoiled and the sword unmarred, I might find
some spark of mercy in my heart toward him.”

Radden looked up at this, expectantly.

Evelyn turned and left the room, a guard
opening the door and then closing it behind her.

Radden and Kane regarded one another.

“She will not show my son mercy, no matter
what else happens, will she?”

Kane grinned. “I wouldn’t count on it.”

General Rosta waited patiently for his master
to speak. Kane’s quarters inside the palace were spacious and
luxurious, to be sure, but the apartment also held an unused
feeling. None of this pomp and circumstance was Kane’s doing.

For his part, he was a simple man. He cared
nothing for decoration or flamboyance. Being first and foremost a
hired assassin, his reputation was the only adornment he
valued.

However, Rosta, among very few, knew that
Kane was more than a bounty killer, and more than Evelyn’s servant.
He was even more than the mere possession of a powerful Malkind
spirit. He was the heir to a great house, if a dejected and minor
one by comparison.

“You have heard about the girl’s escape?”
Kane asked.

“Word has reached my ears, but not the camp,
my lord,” Rosta said. “The army of House Turine awaits your command
to attack the city.”

“They must remain in the west for now,” Kane
said.

“But surely you can simply kill the royal
family and take the city now,” Rosta replied. “They pose no real
threat. I could have our men in the palace take care of it
tonight.”

“I need the girl, not Evelyn or her son,” he
said. “With her, my ascension will be recognized by the other
houses. Also, there is the matter of Stephen’s death and his son.
Stephen must pass away naturally and Nathan become unable to ascend
to the throne. With the girl missing, this can be accomplished, but
I’ll need her when we take the city from House Rainier.”

“Your army is ready, my lord,” Rosta assured
him. “We can move swiftly once you give the word. No other house
will be in position to move on Rainier.”

“But they won’t be far behind,” Kane said,
beginning to pace. “Our army will have the city, but I must bond
with the girl in order to secure my reign as the new king of the
realm. Otherwise, the other houses will mass against us, and their
armies are greater in number by far.”

“And what of Judah and his Cindermen?” Rosta
asked. “Will they fight for us against the other houses, if it
becomes necessary?”

“Judah is no coward,” he said, contemplating
the Cinderman leader, “but he is no fool either. This is a game,
and we are all playing to win—even Judah and his kind. He will only
support us if it gains him something.”

“But what do creatures like them want, my
lord?” Rosta asked. “They are not even barbarians.”

“He might be part beast, but he is no less a
man because of it—perhaps he’s just more honest about his nature.
Judah craves what all men crave, Rosta. He craves power. If we are
smart, then we can use that desire to control him and his people
long enough to win the kingdom for House Turine. I will send orders
with you for Judah when you go.”

“My lord, I assumed you knew,” Rosta
answered. “Judah and his Cindermen never reported to our camp.”

Kane’s eyes narrowed. “Then he is up to
something…”

Rosta did not offer any theories as to what
the Cindermen might be doing. At the moment, he was simply glad
that Judah’s disobedience had not been somehow blamed on him.

Kane stopped pacing suddenly and
straightened. “His men might have been in the city when Evelyn sent
the guards out after the girl,” he said indignantly.

“Might he have taken up the chase as well?”
Rosta suggested.

“Indeed,” Kane answered. “He knows that the
girl is most precious to House Rainier. It is unlikely, but he
might even think to use her as a pawn against me directly.”

“But how could he know your plans for her,
master?”

“Judah is a warrior, Rosta,” he said,
grinning. “He is cunning. That, among other reasons, is why I
sought to use him. Like a true lion, he is always looking for
weaknesses that can be exploited. We must find out what has
happened to our illustrious ally and reign him in before he does
something to get himself killed.”

“Killed, my lord?”

“Of course, Rosta,” Kane said. “Naturally, if
Judah has impeded my plans, I will be forced to kill him
myself.”

Esmeralda walked behind us as quietly as
possible through the shrouded early morning in the Brine Wood. I
led the way to the place where I felt Shalindra either was or had
been. I had no idea why I should know, except for the vision. Yet,
there was something drawing me toward our inevitable
destination.

Killian walked beside me, keeping the blessed
sword ready for anything in his hand. We crept along carefully,
and, for the most part, soundlessly. I used my power to dampen the
sounds of our passing—a trick I had actually learned from Celia.
She had been a master at sneaking about the abbey without anyone
hearing.

When we drew near to the place, I noticed the
very top of a stone structure piercing the trees about one hundred
yards ahead. I paused, placing my hand upon Killian’s arm. I felt
that we were standing upon a razor’s edge between life and death.
Anything, it seemed, could happen from this point on.

“If my vision has come true already, as I
fear, then the Cindermen are probably still here.”

“And if it has not?” Killian asked. “We might
very well save Shalindra’s life.”

“My visions have never
not
come true,”
I reported.

“Ah, but you warned me at the Mangy Cur,
remember? I did not die.”

“I never said that I saw you die,” I replied,
“only that I saw men attacking you while you slept. The rest of the
vision ended when I screamed to warn you.”

Killian smiled at me kindly. “What do you
think we should do, Raven?”

The last thing I wanted, at this point was to
be forced into making a decision that might lead to our deaths.
However, I was the one with the visions and the unexplained
sensation drawing us to the place where Shalindra was or had been
recently. Clearly, this was not Killian’s decision to make. I was
at least glad that he had enough confidence in me to allow me to
make the choice.

“As much as I dread what might lay ahead,” I
said, “I do feel that we must go on.”

He smiled more broadly now and leaned forward
to kiss my forehead. “I trust you,” he said. “Do not worry, only
trust that Eliam is leading us to whatever end he sees fit.”

“The words of the prophets?” I asked,
remembering words I had read from Eliam’s holy book.

“Even though he might slay me, I choose to
trust him,” Killian recited. “We cannot choose to walk with the
Creator of all things only when we will have something to gain by
it. If he is truly in control, then we must trust him no matter the
circumstances.”

I smiled now and kissed him—not on the
forehead, but on his lips. He accepted the gesture easily, but he
did not draw it out. We had a greater purpose for being here, and
it was time that we found out what it was.

A moment later, we were walking upon the
ancient stones of the temple courtyard. We ascended the stair.
Still, there was no sign of the Cindermen. There was also no
Shalindra.

Oh, there was evidence of her having recently
been there: trails of blood, smoking scorch marks upon the ancient
stone walls, and the smell of foul creatures recently here. What
was curiously missing, however, was the arrows and spears and
bodies I had seen in my vision.

We continued up the steps, looking all about
us, attempting to be cautious. I felt more like we were walking
upon thin ice, hearing the brittle cracks beneath our feet, waiting
upon the inevitable moment when it gives way to plunge us below
into chilling death. Something was going to happen. I just didn’t
know when.

When we came to the place where I had seen
the priestess die at the hands of Judah, we stopped. My blood ran
cold through my veins. There upon the stones lay what remained of
Shalindra, Priestess of Eliam. It was not pleasant. I could not
gaze long upon what the Cindermen had left.

I turned back to Killian, casting myself into
his arms. He took me in, breathing deeply, groaning within himself
at the sight before him. I had told him my vision. He already knew
as well as I what this meant. My vision had been true. Shalindra
was dead.

A piercing cry from above shocked our senses.
It was a terrible roaring like thunder mixed with the kind of
shrieking that can only come from intense anguish. Our eyes flew to
the sky. What we saw descending upon us melted our bowels within
us.

A dragon plummeted out of the heavens toward
the temple. There was rage in its cries and heartache. The beast
was nearly invisible, its scale color shifting to portray the
surrounding clouds and sky. Only its rapid movement made its
approach apparent.

Killian and I ran for our lives at once. I
had never seen a dragon before, though everyone knew they existed.
They were not to be found within the kingdom lands held by the
great houses of the realm. Only the stories carried by those insane
individuals willing to pass into the outer territories to hunt them
gave us any indication of what sort of creatures they were.