Hidden Warrior (11 page)

Leaving the hall, Ki wandered down the main passage. Iya’s door lay on the right, and it was closed. The duke’s old bedchamber, now Tobin’s and therefore Ki’s by default, lay to the left. He paused at the door, then went instead to the one beside it.

Tharin’s chamber was as spare and orderly as the man who lived there. His room at the keep barracks was just the same. Ki felt more at home here than anywhere else in Ero. He kindled a fire and sat down to await his fate.

But even here he couldn’t sit still, and soon he was pacing a furrow in Tharin’s carpet. The rain drummed against the windows and his thoughts raced:
What will I do when Orun sends me away? Go back to Oakmount and herd pigs?

The idea of returning to his father in disgrace was unthinkable. No, he’d join Ahra’s regiment and patrol the coast, or go to the battlefields in Mycena and offer his sword as a common soldier.

Such thoughts gave no comfort. The only place he wanted to be was where he was, with Tobin.

He buried his face in his hands.
This is my fault. I should never have left Tobin alone that day, knowing he was sick. A few weeks at court and I forgot everything Tharin taught me!

On the heels of that came the question he’d been trying not to ask himself ever since the night he’d followed Brother back to Alestun. What had made Tobin run all the way back there in the first place? It wasn’t that he didn’t believe Tobin’s explanation … He sighed. Well, he
wanted
to believe it, but something just didn’t ring true. And whatever had ailed Tobin that night, something was different between them now.

Or maybe
, he thought guiltily,
he felt something different from me
.

The filthy accusations Mago and Arius had thrown at Ki that day in the stable, implying that he and Tobin did more than just sleep together, had cut deep. After that Ki had caught himself pulling away from Tobin sometimes. The hurt look on his friend’s face when he’d kept to his side of the bed at night came back to haunt him. Was that why Tobin had left him behind the day he ran off?
I was a fool, listening to anything those lackwits had to say
. In truth, with all the uproar of the past month, he’d all but forgotten it all until now. But had Tobin?

Guilt and uncertainty made his belly churn. “Well, whatever it is, he’ll tell me when he’s ready,” he muttered.

The air went cold behind him, and mean, whispery laugh raised gooseflesh on his arms. Ki spun around, reaching instinctively for the horse charm around his neck. Brother stood beside Tharin’s bed, watching him with hate-filled black eyes.

Ki’s heart knocked painfully against his ribs; the ghost looked more solid than he remembered, a starved, hollow-eyed parody of his friend. Ki thought he’d gotten used to Brother that night they’d traveled together, but all his fears came rushing back.

“Ask Arkoniel,” whispered Brother.

“Ask him what?”

Brother disappeared but his hissing laugh seemed to hang in the air where he’d been. Shaken, Ki pulled a chair closer to the fire and huddled there, feeling lonelier than ever.

Lost in his unhappy reverie, he was nearly dozing when the sound of shouting roused him. Flinging open the door, he nearly collided with Iya. They dashed to the hall and found Tharin there, holding Tobin’s limp body in his arms.

“What happened?” Iya demanded.

“His chamber, Ki,” Tharin ordered, ignoring her. “Open the door.”

“I have a fire lit in yours.” Ki ran ahead and turned down Tharin’s bed. Tharin laid Tobin down gently and began chafing his wrists. Tobin was breathing, but his face was drawn and beaded with sweat.

“What did Orun do to him?” Ki growled. “I’ll kill him. I don’t care if they burn me alive for it!”

“Mind your tongue, Ki.” Tharin turned to the servants and soldiers crowding in the doorway. “Koni, ride to the grove for a drysian. Don’t stand there staring, man, go! Laris, you set a guard on all doors. No one enters except members of the royal household. And fetch Bisir. I want him here now!”

The old sergeant saluted, fist to chest. “Right away, Captain.”

“Ulies, fetch a basin of water,” Iya said calmly. “The rest of you make yourselves useful or get out of the way.”

The others scattered and Tharin sank into a chair by the bed, cradling his head in his hands.

“Close the door, Ki.” Iya bent over Tharin and gripped his shoulder. “Tell us what happened.”

Tharin shook his head slowly. “I don’t know. Bisir took him upstairs, to Orun’s chamber. A while later Lord Niryn arrived with a message from the king. He soon came down again and I thought Tobin would follow. But he didn’t. Then I heard Bisir cry out. When I got upstairs, Orun was dead and Tobin was lying senseless on the floor. I couldn’t wake him, so I carried him back here.”

Iya undid the lacings of Tobin’s tunic and her face darkened ominously. “Look. These marks are fresh.”

She opened the linen shirt beneath, showing Tharin and Ki long red marks already darkening to bruises on Tobin’s throat. A thin abrasion on the left side of his neck was beaded with droplets of drying blood. “Did you notice any marks on Orun?”

“I didn’t stop to look.”

“We’ll find who did this,” Ki growled. “We’ll find him and we’ll kill him.”

Tharin gave him an unreadable look and Ki shut his mouth. If it hadn’t been for his foolishness, Tobin wouldn’t have been with Orun today at all.

Ulies returned with the basin, and Tharin took it from him. “Send someone for Chancellor Hylus and Lord Niryn.”

“No need for that.” The wizard stepped in and approached the bed with every appearance of concern. “A servant came after me with the news. How is the prince? He was perfectly well when I left them. They both were.”

Without thinking, Ki blocked his way before he could reach Tobin. Niryn’s eyes locked with his. Ki felt a nasty chill but he stood his ground.

“If you please, my lord, I’d rather we waited for the drysians before we disturb him,” Iya said, standing by Ki. She spoke respectfully, but Ki sensed it was not a request.

“Of course. Most wise.” Niryn took the chair by the hearth. Ki stationed himself at the foot of the bed, keeping a surreptitious eye on the wizard. Tobin had always been scared of Niryn, which was reason enough for Ki to distrust him. And now he was, by his own admission, the last person to see Orun and Tobin before they were struck down. Or so he claimed.

Niryn caught him looking and smiled. Another nasty, slithery feeling went through Ki and he hastily averted his eyes.

A moment later Tobin lurched up with a gasp. Ki clambered awkwardly onto the bed and grasped his hand. “Tob, you’re safe. I’m here, and Tharin and Iya.”

Tobin gripped his hand so hard it hurt. “How—how did I get here?” he asked in a hoarse whisper.

“I brought you.” Tharin sat down on the edge of the bed and put an arm around him. “Seems I’m always carrying you somewhere these days. It’s all right now. Can you tell us who hurt you?”

Tobin’s hand flew to his throat. “Orun. He was so angry—He
grabbed me and—” He caught sight of Niryn and froze. “It was Orun.”

The wizard rose and came closer. “He offered you violence?”

Tobin nodded. “The king’s message,” he whispered. “He grabbed me and—I must have fainted.”

“I shouldn’t wonder,” said Iya. “It appears he tried to throttle you.”

Tobin nodded.

A brown-robed drysian arrived and ordered everyone but Iya and Niryn out of the room. Ki hovered in the doorway, watching anxiously as the woman examined Tobin. He crept back to the foot of the bed as she mixed a poultice for the bruises and she let him stay.

When she’d finished, she went out and spoke with Iya and Tharin for what seemed like a long time. Tharin came back in looking more concerned than ever.

“Lord Niryn, they’ve got Bisir in the hall and Chancellor Hylus just arrived.”

Tobin struggled up again. “Bisir didn’t do anything!”

“We just want to talk to him,” Tharin assured him. “You rest. Ki will keep you company.”

“Lord Niryn?” croaked Tobin.

The wizard paused in the doorway. “Yes, my prince?”

“That message you had from the king—I didn’t read it. Is Ki still my squire?”

“The king made no mention of the matter. For the time being, it seems your squire’s position is secure. See that you remain worthy of it, Sir Kirothius.”

“Yes, my lord.” Ki waited until the wizards and Tharin were gone, then shut the door and made a luck sign. “He looks like a snake when he smiles. But at least he brought some good news.” He sat down on the bed and tried to look into Tobin’s eyes, but his friend kept turning away. “How are you? Really?”

“I’m fine.” Tobin rubbed at the wet bandage around his neck. “This is helping.”

He was still hoarse, but Ki could hear the fear that Tobin was struggling to hide.

“So Orun finally laid hands on you?” Ki shook his head in wonder.

Tobin let out a shuddering sigh and his chin began to tremble.

Ki leaned closer and took his hand again. “There’s more to it than you let on, isn’t there?”

Tobin cast a frightened look at the door, then brought his lips to Ki’s ear. “It was Brother.”

Ki’s eyes widened. “But he was here. He came to me while you were gone.”

Tobin let out a startled gasp. “What did he do?”

“Nothing! I was in here waiting for you, and suddenly there he was.”

“Did he say anything?”

“Just that I should ask Arkoniel about—” Ki broke off.

“About what?”

Ki hesitated; he’d felt disloyal before, doubting Tobin, and it was worse now. “He wouldn’t say. Is he like that with you, too?”

“Sometimes.”

“But you say he came to Orun’s? Did you call him?”

Tobin shook his head vehemently. “No! No, I swear it by the Four, I didn’t!”

Alarmed, Ki searched his friend’s face. “I believe you, Tob. What’s the matter?”

Tobin gulped hard, then leaned in again. “Brother killed Orun.”

“But—how?”

“I don’t know. Orun was shaking me. Maybe he was going to kill me. I don’t know. Brother got between us and just—just touched him and Orun fell—” Tobin was shaking. Tears spilled down his cheeks. “I didn’t stop him, Ki! What if—What if somehow I
did
make him do it?”

Ki hugged him close. “You’d never do that. I know you wouldn’t.”

“I don’t remember doing it.” Tobin sobbed. “But I was so scared, and I hated Orun and he said bad things about you and—”

“Did you call for Brother?”

“Nuh—no!”

“Did you tell him to kill Orun?”

“No!”

“Of course you didn’t. So it’s not your fault. Brother was just protecting you.”

Tobin raised his tear-stained face and stared at him. “Do you think so?”

“Yes. He’s spiteful and all, but he
is
your brother and Orun was hurting you.” He paused, touching a thin, faded scar on his neck. “Remember when the catamount came after you that day? You said Brother got between you and it before I showed up, like he was going to protect you.”

“But it was Lhel who killed it.”

“Yes, but he came. And he came when Orun was hurting you. No one’s ever done that to you before, have they?”

Tobin wiped his face on his sleeve. “No one, except—”

“Who?” Ki demanded, wondering which of the Companions he’d have to deal with.

“My mother,” Tobin whispered. “She tried to kill me. Brother was there, then, too.”

Ki’s outrage drained away, leaving him speechless.

“You can’t tell anyone about this,” Tobin said, wiping his nose. “About Orun, I mean. No one can know about Brother.”

“Niryn himself couldn’t get it out of me. You know that.”

Tobin let out another shuddering sigh and rested his head on Ki’s shoulder. “If that letter said you had to go, I’d run away again.”

“Leaving me to catch up with you like last time?” Ki tried to make light of it, but his throat was suddenly tight. “Don’t even try it. I’m putting you on a tether rein.”

“I told you I won’t. We’d run away together.”

“That’s all right, then. You should rest now.”

Instead, Tobin threw off the blankets and wiggled past him off the bed. “I want to see Bisir. He didn’t have anything to do with this.”

T
obin was almost to the hall when a new thought momentarily blotted out all other concerns. What had Bisir seen? He cursed his own weakness, fainting like some lady in a ballad. Had Brother stayed with him after he killed Orun? If Orun could see the ghost, then surely anyone else could have. Steeling himself, he strode into the hall.

Bisir stood wringing his hands by the hearth, surrounded by Tharin and the others. Chancellor Hylus was the only person seated and he must have come straight from court, for he still wore his robe of state and the flat black velvet hat signifying his office.

“Here is the prince, and looking rather better than I expected, thank the Four!” he exclaimed. “Come sit by me, dear boy. This young man was just telling us of the abominable treatment you’ve suffered.”

“Go on, Bisir. Tell Prince Tobin what you told us,” said Iya.

Bisir gave Tobin an imploring look. “As I was saying to them, my prince, I saw nothing except the two of you lying on the floor when I came in.”

“But you were eavesdropping,” Niryn said sternly.

“No, my lord! That is, there is a chair for me by the door. I always stay there, in case Lord Orun calls for me.”

Hylus raised a frail, age-mottled hand. “Calm yourself, young man. You are not accused of any crime.” He motioned to Ulies to bring the frightened valet a mazer of wine.

“Thank you, my lord.” Bisir took a sip and some color returned to his thin cheeks.

“Surely you must have heard something?” the old man prompted.

“Yes, Lord Chancellor. I heard my master speaking angrily to the prince. It was wrong of him, speaking to Prince Tobin like that.” He paused and gulped nervously. “Forgive me, my lords. I know I shouldn’t speak ill of my master, but—”

“It’s of no consequence,” Iya said impatiently. “So you heard Orun shouting. Then what?”

“Then came that terrible cry! I ran in at once and found them senseless on the carpet. At least I thought—When I saw my master’s face—” His gaze flickered to Tobin again, and this time there was no mistaking the fact that Bisir was scared. “Lord Orun’s eyes were open, but—By the Four, I’ll never forget the way he looked, with his eyes bulging and his face gone all black—”