The Treason Blade (Battle for Alsaar Book 1) (23 page)

Ishar settled
onto the lip of the edge. She glanced back up with curiosity. “
Audris,
forgive my asking this at this time but I have to
know. Why did you believe in my innocence when everyone else did not?”

The Lute
woman smiled sadly. “Eira was my friend for many years. I have always trusted
her judgment. She knew how to detect the truth in others. If she says you are
true, I must believe it. Varyk also feels this way but he is grieving. In this
grief, I fear he may overlook his people’s desire for revenge and even worse,
allow it.” Audris nodded. “It is all I have left.
This single
desire to help fulfill Eira’s last wish of a unified Alsaar.
Your death
will completely destroy any chance of that. Hers may not, if the true killer
can be found.” She glanced fearfully toward the door, then turned and motioned
with her hands. “You must go.”

“I will not
forget this,” Ishar whispered and dropped through down to the floor of the
tunnel.

Audris leaned
over the edge and handed over the light. “The tunnel will slope down quickly so
be careful. I must return to my lady’s room before I am missed. Go, and may
your journey be blessed,” she added, rising.

The door
closing sealed her in. To some extent the light only made the darkness
surrounding her seem thicker. Enclosed on all sides by damp earth, for a
second, the vision of a grave swamped her vision. Focus, she thought as she
fought through the feeling of being suffocated by dirt. The smell of damp earth
rushing into her nose each time she inhaled did nothing to aid the thought. She
raised herself up and reached her hands above her head until she found the roof
of the tunnel before her. Ishar was able to just stand without bending. She
shined the light ahead. It cast only a small ray of light. The light appeared
more fragile than it had in the storeroom and the air had a musty dank odor.
Ishar moved slowly down the corridor.

It took a
short time to make it to the end of the tunnel. When she found the other wooden
door, Ishar saw it was blocked by an iron bar. She lifted her arm,
then
paused in thought. It would not do to find unexpected
guest on the other side. Hoping Audris was right about the entrance being
concealed by bushes, she raised her hands to the iron. The bar slid out with a
groan. She found the handle and pushed upward with her shoulders. The hinges
creaked slightly as the door moved up. Dirt crumbled and fell in on her face.
Fresh, cool night air rushed by her and into the tunnel. Once the entrance was
clear, she set the food on the ground and hefted herself up on the edge. A hill
of grass and trees stood behind her. Shrubs screened what was before her from
view. Ishar slid her legs out and quickly lowered the door, concealing the
entrance. She grabbed the food and made her way cautiously farther out into the
open.

There was
nothing to indicate the presence of a waiting enemy. She could see the holding
a short distance away and thankfully the dark night and no moon would prevent
her presence from being spotted. A snort caught her attention and Ishar slipped
through the cover of bushes until she came to a tree with a quiet and calm
brown gelding tied to one limb. The animal raised its head at her presence but
then lowered it to continue grazing. At least the creature had a bridle, Ishar
thought in relief as she moved to the gelding’s side. A part of her wanted to
ride. Still, she sought a moment of respite and turned her attention to the
food. Ishar opened the flask and downed the liquid thirstily. She drained about
half of the container,
then
reached for the satchel.
Opening it, she withdrew a bulky cloth. It concealed a giant hunk of bread and
several chunks of dried meat. Crouching on her knees, she devoured half of the
meal quickly and placed what was left back in the leather pouch before taking
time to finish drinking what was left of the water. She would need to remember
to refill it when she came to the river.

Satisfied for
the first time in days, Ishar grabbed the reins of the gelding with a renewed
strength. She moved in a direction away from the holding and the village but
toward the river. Though she hated taking the time she walked with a steady
pace for awhile before mounting and continuing onward. It was time well spent.
Her cramped limbs reveled in their new freedom of movement. Another half hour
brought Ishar to the Etu. She slid from the animal’s back, stretched fresh
aching muscles and took a moment to not only fill her flask but to splash her
face and neck with the cooling water. Revived, Ishar mounted and moved westward
along the river’s bank at a solid steady canter. With a heavy heart she headed
in the direction of the high cliffs.

It was early in the morning, though the sun had
several hours before it would begin the trek up and across the sky. Eira’s
lingering illness had everyone awake and edgy. Traevyn looked at the cup in
front of him. He had stared at it for a solid hour without taking a sip. For
the first time in his life he feared what he might do if he let the drink lower
his control. Traevyn closed his eyes and wiped a hand across his face in
despair at the thoughts running through his mind. He was about to break with
everything he had ever known. It took several seconds before he saw the shadow
across from him.

“Is this seat
taken?” Davaris asked, not unkindly.

“Yes,”
Traevyn muttered, not looking out.

Davaris sat
anyway. Ber joined him. Both were silent as they drank the drinks they had
brought.

Traevyn
stared at men he considered his brothers but kept his thoughts to himself this
night. He could not chance they would try to stop him.

It was
Davaris who finally broke the silence. With a sigh the tall Raanan laid his cup
on the table. “Your look of misery has been noted,” he glanced at the stocky
warrior beside him, “by both
myself
and Ber.” Davaris
gave Traevyn a studied look. “We would like to know your intentions concerning
Ishar.”

Had his plan been found out
? Traevyn
wondered. He watched them with a sudden wariness as his body tensed. “What do
you mean?”

Davaris
glanced around. He focused his attention on Traevyn. “As I look over the time
she has been among us, it makes no sense for Ishar to do everything she did to
make us accept her, then harm Eira in this manner. It would permanently destroy
any chance of peace.” He shrugged. “If she intended this harm, why go to all
this trouble? Eira could be a target at many times and places outside the gates
without all the danger of Ishar having to invite herself within this holding to
look for opportunity.”

Ber sighed.
“Look, you know I had no like for the girl when she came but,” Ber scratched
the side of his head, “she does not strike me as stupid and coming back here
after attacking Eira was just that. She had to have known she would be the
first suspect.”

Glyndwr
settled down beside Ber. He set his cup on the table. “And using her arrows?”
He muttered. “What foolishness is that? It would have been better to use Lute
or Britai.”

Davaris
shrugged. “Kagon or Rayne would say that maybe she thought she killed Eira.”

Traevyn felt
his muscles loosen at his friends’ defense of Ishar. “I have seen Ishar shoot a
bow. She would not miss. Eira was too wounded to defend herself and an
assailant would have taken full use of this.” He shook his head. “No, Eira was
allowed to return to the holding.”

“This means,”
Ber answered slowly, “someone wanted us to find those arrows. Glyndwr’s right,
the girl would not be that stupid.”

Traevyn
glanced at Glyndwr. “Where is Gavin?”

Glyndwr
motioned with his head toward the barracks. “He spent money on several rounds,
then asked Rayne and Kagon to a match with swords. Winner buys another round of
drinks.”

“Ouch,” Ber
said with a wince but grinned.

Davaris
smiled. “We shall owe him several drinks after that.” He glanced at Traevyn.
“We wanted to speak with you. Ber is under the impression you might be about to
do something stupid.”

Traevyn
watched his friends.
“Perhaps.”

“‘Perhaps
not’ would be the better response,” Ber muttered. “I have no desire to watch
you do anything you will regret.”

“I will not
let them harm Ishar,” Traevyn murmured softly, staring at them. “Yet I have no
desire to cross blades with any man here. Even Kagon or Rayne, no matter how
wrong I feel they are in their certainty.”

Glyndwr
shrugged. “They have not had the chance to come the same understanding we have:
that the Haaldyn might have more trustworthiness within them than first
thought.” He stared at Traevyn with a serious look. “I pledge to you. I will
not let harm come to her.”

Traevyn stared at Davaris who nodded in
agreement. He turned his look to Ber. “And you?”

Ber glanced
at the table, then looked up and nodded. “I owe her. I always pay my debts. You
have my word. They will have to produce more than the arrows to make me believe
her guilty.”

“And Gavin
gives his word,” Glyndwr added.

Traevyn
smiled. “That is all I ask.”

There was a
commotion in the dark. Out of the shadows came Lysandr. He strode quickly
toward everyone gathered around the tables.

“What is it?”
Traevyn asked, frowning as he feared the worst.

Lysandr broke
into a grin. “It is Eira,” he answered loudly. “The fever has finally broken.
Though she is not awake, there is hope now she will and soon”

The room
exploded with shouts and claps and stomps of enthusiasm as everyone felt the
joy of the occasion. Traevyn felt excitement grow. Eira was going to live. For
that he was thankful but more so now that the threat on Ishar’s life had lessened
a great deal. He heaved a heavy sigh of relief and rose to join in the
happiness with the other Raanan warriors and Britai soldiers as they shared the
pleasure of hearing the news.

*

Eira let the
low drone of voices grow loud before opening her eyes. She blinked several
times and focused on the blurred faces around her.

“My lord,” a
voice called off to her right. There was movement to her left and as the
fuzziness cleared she took in Varyk’s worried face. She smiled softly. So like
him to frown. Varyk ran his fingers down the side of her face and smiled
softly. He took the cup handed to him and brought it to her lips while
supporting her neck so she could drink. The water was delicious. Eira cleared
her throat. “I take it I made it back to the holding?” she asked hoarsely. “I
fear I do not remember.”

He nodded.
“You did, but were unconscious. You have been unaware for nearly two days.”
Varyk’s worried look returned. “We feared the fever would take you,” he added
gently.

Eira look
puzzled and frown appeared between her brows as she sorted his words. “Did you
find out who attacked me?”

Varyk drew
back and stared contemplatively at her for a moment before speaking. “Ishar is
being held on that charge,” he stated quietly.

Eira’s eyes
widened,
then
flickered to the servants standing
close. She looked at Varyk. “Tell them to leave us,” she whispered grimly.

He studied
her as if he wanted to argue but instead cleared his throat and glanced at the
two women in attendance. “Go.” Both women bowed low and left, pulling the door
shut behind them.

Varyk glanced
at her and sighed. “You had me send them away why?” he asked, rubbing his
fingers across his brow.

“Because I
would not have them witness an argument between us,” Eira stated in a quiet
manner.

“You almost
died,” Varyk uttered fiercely. “I will not have you worn out by senseless
arguing.”

“Good,” she
added sweetly. “Then do not argue with me.
Release Ishar.”

Varyk’s eyes
darkened. “Her arrows were pulled from your body,” he ground out.

Eira gave her
head a gentle shake. “I do not care. I have come to know this woman, Varyk,”
she said insistently. “She would not do this.”

“She would
and she did,” he argued. “She told you to meet her in a vulnerable location and
set upon you when you arrived.” Varyk looked frustrated. “I am sorry, but I
will not release her.” Eira frowned. He continued. “See, I knew it. You are
getting yourself worn out over something on which I am firm. For once, let the
subject go.”

Eira’s frown
persisted. “What did you just say?”

Varyk drew
back. “Let it go?”

She shook her
head tiredly.
“No, before that.
You said something
about Ishar meeting me?”

Varyk nodded.
“Yes, you and she were to meet just inside the Daiwen.” He frowned. “You should
have told me of this meeting,” he muttered, “but of course you knew I would not
let you go without a guard. We have, after all, only just come to know the
woman. You push our trust of her.”

Eira decided
this was not the time to remind Varyk he had given Ishar freedom in the
holding. Instead she focused on his words with growing concern. “Did Ishar tell
you this?” Eira asked, confused.

Varyk looked
at her strangely.
“Of course not.
Audris gave me this
information later after we brought you within and were trying to figure out
what happened. She pointed out it was a Haaldyn arrow. She had seen Ishar’s in
keeping up the room. When Ishar returned, it was discovered Audris was right.
Even more so, the arrow was not just Haaldyn but personally one of Ishar’s.”

Eira tried to
rise but Varyk’s hand and rippling pain down her left side kept her down. She
gazed at him perplexed but with a growing resolve. “My love, I told no one to
where I would ride. How could Audris know this?” she asked wearily.

Varyk’s look
turned troubled. “Perhaps Ishar spoke of it?”

Eira gave him
a wry glance and sighed. “Why would she want someone to know about meeting me
if she intended harm? It would be suicidal, especially if she truly intended to
ride back within the holding walls.” She relaxed and closed her eyes. “Have
Audris brought to me. Simply tell her I require her assistance, nothing more.
And do not leave us. I may have need of your help.”

Varyk rose
but he scowled as if irritated by her request. “Audris has been close to you
since before you came here. She is Lute and kin. Surely you are not thinking
she would betray you?”

She sighed.
“I do not know what to believe. She knew where I would be even though I did not
inform her. And she very quickly pointed out Ishar as your most probable
suspect even though she knew I would never believe it of her.” Eira frowned and
opened her eyes to study Varyk. “Why would Ishar shoot two of her personal
arrows into me? Why not use a Britai arrow or even a Raanan? To use
her own
weapon would be pure foolishness.” Her eyes
narrowed. “No, someone hoped the response of her returning to the hold would be
instant act of retribution. The result which would…”
Eira’s
eyes widened in realization.
“Oh, no.”
She
looked toward Varyk with a growing sense of distress. “Do you not see, my love?
Ryen would never allow a peace to prosper between him and the people who had
slaughtered his daughter. It would bring war, the unrelenting war of a father
fueled by the wrongful death of his child. Any hope of peace would be
destroyed.”

“And fighting
would be what the Tourna would find upon their arrival,” Varyk finished, his
voice intrigued by her words. “Your accusation grows, Eira, but then this
becomes more than a single act of blood: a conspiracy that cannot be the hand
of a solitary woman and I dare not dwell on that thought. For what can be the
future of us when we cannot trust our own people?”

She nodded
sadly and closed her eyes. The conversation tired her. “Just find and bring
her,” she muttered.

She felt the
brush of his lips across her forehead. “I will return and then we shall see to
the truth,” he answered.

Eira heard
the door open and close and the low murmur of voices. It seemed only a few
minutes before the door opened once more and footsteps entered. She opened her
eyes.

Audris moved
briskly into the room, discarding a cloak across a covered stool. “My lady,”
she murmured softly, dipping her head and dropping a kiss on Eira’s cheek. She
stepped back and clasped her hands. “I was overjoyed to hear of your recovery.
What is it you require?”

Eira studied
the woman who had been by her side for many years. She could see nothing within
Audris’ expression that spoke of treason, nothing
save
for a growing suspicion of Audris’ actions and the words she had spoken to
Varyk. Varyk stood close to the end of the bed. His gold eyes never strayed
from Audris as he studied her with grave care. Eira glanced back at Audris. “I
require only the answer to one question.” She studied the Lute woman she had
known for many years. Had she missed a growing resentment? Eira’s eyes narrowed
as she spoke. “How did you know to tell Varyk my riding detail on the day I was
attacked?”

Audris
blinked and responded in a bewildered tone, “My lady, you told me yourself.”

There was a
still silence in the room as Eira took in Audris’ words before answering. “No,
I did not,” she stated quietly, her words sounding hard to even her ears.

“Yes,” the
woman stated quietly with bowed head. “My lady has forgotten in the turmoil of
events.”

“
Audris,
look at me,” Eira commanded. The woman glanced up
warily. Eira continued. “There are some things of that day which are not clear,
but that is not one of them. I made a point to not inform anyone of where I was
to ride because I did not want Varyk to send me with an escort, so I will ask
you again: where did you hear of it?”