The King of the Crags (45 page)
‘Find out for yourself.’ He tried stretching his crippled leg out in front of him in case that made the pain any easier. It didn’t.
‘Lover, that doesn’t sound very promising. Shezira was quite a good shot with a crossbow.’
‘Yes. Apparently so.’ Jehal smiled. ‘And at such short range and at such a
large
target . . .’
large
target . . .’
Zafir smiled. ‘I suppose I must assume the worst of your injury. At least until we know better.’ Jeiros. Jeiros of all people had smuggled a woman to him. From a city brothel. She was clean, at least, but Jehal had turned her away.
Ah, the games we play . . .
Ah, the games we play . . .
Jehal shrugged. ‘I have exquisite taste when it comes to whom I bed. I suspect the Night Watchman has a somewhat better eye in these matters and I don’t doubt he has a great deal more practice than Jeiros. You should have sent him on your errand.’
‘Not
my
errand.’ Zafir smiled again and then went abruptly cold. ‘You betrayed me.’
my
errand.’ Zafir smiled again and then went abruptly cold. ‘You betrayed me.’
‘I told you what I thought, lover. You should have let Shezira go. My opinion on that hasn’t changed. You were wrong to do what you did. You’ve brought us to war.’ With a painful sigh, Jehal stood up. ‘I’ll go back to my sickbed now, shall I? Or is it time for another cage? I saw that one of your cousins swings in the wind over the gates as well. What did he do? Did he look at you with lust in his eye? No, don’t answer; I know that he did. Is that what got him strung up?’
‘He lost twenty-five of my dragons to Almiri.’
‘Then perhaps you should have taken him to your bed after all. Perhaps then he wouldn’t have been so eager.’ Jehal chuckled and shook his head and turned away.
‘Wait!’
Jehal ignored her. He yawned and hobbled off.
‘Wait!’ This time she shouted, angry.
‘Why should I?’
‘I am speaker!’
‘And I am a king. I’ll listen to your guidance if you should ever grow wise, but you do not give me orders. That is not your place. Even as speaker.’
‘Wait.’ Her voice softened. ‘Please. I didn’t want this.’
‘Better.’ Jehal turned back and sat down again.
And about time too. I don’t think I could have survived all those steps again so soon. Recriminations weren’t what I came for.
And about time too. I don’t think I could have survived all those steps again so soon. Recriminations weren’t what I came for.
Zafir was wearing her earnest face now. She leaned towards him, wide-eyed. ‘I didn’t ask for you to be hurt. I just wanted . . .’
‘Come here.’ Jehal patted the cushion next to him. ‘Sit beside me.’
Is she lying? Does it matter? Does she even know the difference?
Is she lying? Does it matter? Does she even know the difference?
Zafir glanced at Vale. He came a few steps closer and then gave a little nod.
So that’s how close you think you need to be to kill me before I can move. Six paces. Interesting. I shall remember that.
Zafir came and sat beside him then, close enough that he could feel the heat from her skin. Somewhat to his annoyance, even that alone was enough to arouse him.
See, this is what comes of being stuck in bed for so long. Maybe I should have had Jeiros’ whore after all.
The sensation was more painful than pleasant thanks to his wound. He focused his mind on that, reached out and stroked her cheek.
So that’s how close you think you need to be to kill me before I can move. Six paces. Interesting. I shall remember that.
Zafir came and sat beside him then, close enough that he could feel the heat from her skin. Somewhat to his annoyance, even that alone was enough to arouse him.
See, this is what comes of being stuck in bed for so long. Maybe I should have had Jeiros’ whore after all.
The sensation was more painful than pleasant thanks to his wound. He focused his mind on that, reached out and stroked her cheek.
‘I know. You just wanted me out of the way for a day while the vote was cast and the deed was done. That’s all. None of this was supposed to happen.’
‘Yes,’ she breathed.
Liar!
Liar!
‘What happened to me wasn’t your doing. I know that.’
‘No.’
Or might it even be true? Does it matter?
Or might it even be true? Does it matter?
‘No.’ Jehal smiled and leaned closer so that his lips were brushing against her ear. ‘I know that because I know you’d never have given Shezira the satisfaction of a revenge like that. You’d have done it yourself.’ He put a hand on her thigh. Zafir was sitting very still, but she was breathing quickly. Jehal felt the Night Watchman take another couple of steps towards them. ‘I will have my pound of flesh for this, but I’ll not come looking for it from you. Vale Tassan did this to me and so now I want him as my toy to use as I please.’
Ah, the pleasure. Are you hearing this, Night Watchman? Are you hearing every whispered word? You’re close enough, and I know your ears are good.
Ah, the pleasure. Are you hearing this, Night Watchman? Are you hearing every whispered word? You’re close enough, and I know your ears are good.
‘There is a war, Jehal,’ she whispered. ‘I need him.’
‘Not as much as you need me.’ He moved his hand higher. ‘I promise not to break him until you’re finished with Shezira’s daughters. For now I just want to play with him.’
Her throat bobbed. The slightest of nods. Enough for now.
‘I never wanted to be your enemy, Zafir. I only wanted what was best for you. Wars are dangerous. I’m afraid for you. I’m afraid you might die, you see, because that’s what happens in dragon-wars. People die. Lots of them. Sometimes even people who matter. But I want you to know that when Shezira shot me and I was sure that my time was done, the first person I thought of was you. And in my bed, as I made my slow recovery, I thought of you a great deal more. More than anyone else.’
‘Truly?’
‘Truly.’
Zafir took a deep breath and sighed. ‘Thank you, Jehal.’
‘Do you believe me?’
She took his hand and clasped it between her own. ‘Of course I do.’
Well, then you’re either an idiot or you’re lying, and for once I can’t actually tell which it is.
‘I have a gift for you.’
‘I have a gift for you.’
‘I don’t need a gift, Jehal. Just stand beside me, like you did when I was made the speaker. That’s more than any gift could be.’
Very good. I really actually want to believe you. Very good indeed
. ‘I’ve got one for you anyway. Call it payment for what I’m going to do to the commander of your guard once you don’t need him any more.’
Are you still here, Night Watchman? Are you still listening?
. ‘I’ve got one for you anyway. Call it payment for what I’m going to do to the commander of your guard once you don’t need him any more.’
Are you still here, Night Watchman? Are you still listening?
‘You don’t need to tell me. I saw the letter, my lover.’
‘Letter?’ For a moment he was confused.
‘The one you were writing before the council. To your uncle.’ She looked at him as though he was mad. ‘The one you wrote, Jehal. The one where you told him to murder your wife for you.’
‘Ah. That letter.’
That
letter. ‘I never had a chance to send it.’
That
letter. ‘I never had a chance to send it.’
‘You’re such a fool, Jehal. If I’d known you were truly mine then none of this would have happened. If I’d known before the council. . .’ She tossed her hair. ‘If I’d known before the council then I would have let Shezira go just because you asked me to.’
‘No council? No executions? No war?’ For a moment, Jehal almost believed her.
Yes. And now remember who you’re talking to. It’s easy to say these things when nothing can be undone and none of us can turn back. Besides, I never even sealed it. Perhaps I never will.
Yes. And now remember who you’re talking to. It’s easy to say these things when nothing can be undone and none of us can turn back. Besides, I never even sealed it. Perhaps I never will.
Zafir rested her fingers on his leg by his wound. ‘Does it hurt terribly?’
‘It aches a little. It gets worse when I’m aroused. You’re not helping.’
‘If I’d known you were mine, none of this would have happened. You’d be whole.’
‘I’m still quite whole enough, thank you.’
‘So you say, but is it true?’
‘You can see my lips and my hands for yourself. You know they’re the best of me. The rest, well, if you want to know about that then there’s only one way you’re going to find out.’ He raised an eyebrow archly. ‘I’m saving myself.’
She didn’t take her hand away. Instead, she gave a little smirk. For an instant Jehal remembered what had drawn them together in the beginning, what an irresistible force it had been.
‘I’m going to give you the Red Riders,’ he said, as she began to unlace his shirt.
‘And I’m going to make you a king,’ she breathed. ‘But first I’m going to make you a god.’
‘I thought they were one and the same.’
‘Oh no.’ She ran her tongue over his ear. ‘Not at all.’
The Night Watchman had gone, slipped silently away to leave them to their pleasures. Which was a pity, Jehal thought.
I could have shown you a thing or two about striving, and you could certainly have seen how your speaker likes to be served.
I could have shown you a thing or two about striving, and you could certainly have seen how your speaker likes to be served.
He undressed her with slow and deliberate strokes. There was an honesty to the way she moaned and moved to his fingers and his tongue brushing over her skin.
At least I know you missed me. When I have you like this, I know I’m finally seeing the truth.
At least I know you missed me. When I have you like this, I know I’m finally seeing the truth.
‘Sometimes,’ she whispered, ‘when I’m alone in the dark, I see the red rider. I don’t mean Hyrkallan or Semian or whoever is out there in the Spur now. I mean the real one. The unjustly murdered knight, risen from the dead, with eyes that burn red with blood.’
‘You have a guilty conscience,’ murmured Jehal.
‘He stands there, in the darkness, looking at me. He doesn’t move, he doesn’t speak. He just looks. I don’t see his dragon but I know it’s out there, white and dead like a drowned beast.’
Jehal whispered in her ear. ‘The red rider is a myth, my lover. You have nothing to fear from a story.’
She didn’t move, didn’t even twitch a muscle, yet he felt her withdraw from him. ‘I’m sure you’re right.’ A moment later she rolled away from him and sat up. Jehal stayed where he was, admiring the light of the sunset spilling through the windows onto her breasts. He smiled. She could be magnificent when she wanted to be, but she could be magnificent quite by accident too. That, he thought, was probably her greatest charm.
She must have felt her eyes on him. She turned sharply. Her eyes narrowed, and Jehal knew exactly what was coming. She had that look in her face again. She opened her mouth to speak, then thought better of it and lay down beside him again, twirling his hair with her fingers.
Jehal gently stroked her throat. ‘Lystra. I will see to it.’
I will see to one of you. No balancing between you. Not any more.
I will see to one of you. No balancing between you. Not any more.
She sighed again. ‘No need for that. I’m sure your Meteroa will have done what needs to be done. He’s had your letter for nearly a month and he seems very resourceful. I’m sure he’ll find a way. I’m really quite surprised not to have heard anything already. I thought he was quick. The sort who would jump to obey.’
‘What?’ Jehal froze. ‘You
sent
it? But I hadn’t sealed it! Meteroa will never believe it.’
No, but the words are mine. Meteroa will know my hand. Shit!
sent
it? But I hadn’t sealed it! Meteroa will never believe it.’
No, but the words are mine. Meteroa will know my hand. Shit!
‘Yes, Jehal, I sent it weeks ago. Once I heard you were going to live. Best to get it done, I thought. Before I let you out and make you into a king.’ She looked at him askance. ‘Are you offended, Jehal? You did write it, after all. And you did mean it, didn’t you? Don’t tell me you didn’t mean it.’
Somehow he kept his voice under control. ‘As you say, my uncle is very resourceful. Although I would have preferred to have killed her myself.’
She wrapped her arms around him. ‘
That’s
better. I love you, Jehal. I always will.’
That’s
better. I love you, Jehal. I always will.’
‘I know.’ He had to force the words between his teeth. A black cloud filled his head, urging him to be reckless. ‘You make me a king tomorrow and I’ll rid you of the Red Riders. When I’m done with them, I’ll go south. Straight south. I’ll return with my dragons and we’ll put an end to this. And yes, Lystra too if Meteroa hasn’t found a way to be rid of her. Then you and I will rule the world.’
And then one of us will most likely murder the other, because that’s the way we are. And you know what? I can’t wait.
And then one of us will most likely murder the other, because that’s the way we are. And you know what? I can’t wait.
‘Yes!’ She sighed beneath him. ‘Yes. Together. Now show me you’re still a man.’
He gave a bark of laughter. ‘No. Not while Lystra lives. That’ll be my sign to you. Until then . . . well . . . Your Night Watchman was kind enough to supply me with an olisbos. His idea of a joke, I think.’ As he spoke, he slid it inside her and felt her tremor. ‘And a little strap so I could wear it, but I think we’ll pass on that.’ He pushed it deeper and bit her throat. ‘I can’t say I appreciate his sense of humour, but it’s a very fine piece of craftsmanship and it would be a shame to waste it. Wood, I think, but smooth as glass. You can have the real thing, I promise, but only when I return with my dragons.’
He took her, brutal and selfish this time, filled with dark thoughts and violence. It seemed she liked it.
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