My Lady Mage: A Warriors of the Mist Novel (12 page)

Right now Gideon could use some practice himself,
anything to work off the burn of worry. Duncan had gone hunting, so that left Gideon one potential partner. “Get your sword, Kane.”

His friend was brushing Rogue again, leaving the gray’s coat gleaming in the bright sun. Gideon would have cheerfully done the same for Kestrel, but the stallion had disappeared earlier in the morning. Before charging off, he’d come to an abrupt halt in front of Gideon, stomping his forefoot and shaking his head.

On some level, Gideon knew the horse was promising to return. No doubt he needed to check on his mares. All things considered, he had a newfound sympathy for the stallion. They both were away from the women in their lives, and the not knowing was worrisome.

Not that Merewen was Gideon’s, not in the same sense. However, she was his responsibility. That much was true, or at least as much of the truth as he was willing to admit right now.

Meanwhile, Kane continued polishing that damned horse’s hide. “I said for you to get your sword.”

Kane finally stopped to look at Gideon, his eyes seeing far too much. “Any reason I should let you take your temper out on me? It is not my fault that Lady Merewen is there and you are not. Murdoch and Averel will watch over her.”

The man knew Gideon all too well. And leave it to his friend to be blunt. “I know they will, but there is far more wrong than just her uncle’s greed. Until I learn more about what it is that you sense, I cannot plan how to fight against it.”

Kane joined him in leaning against the side of the cottage to stare up at the morning sun, as if the answers were all written up there in the blue sky. Gideon endured the silence, knowing he wasn’t going to much like whatever Kane was struggling to put into words.

Finally, he spoke, his accent rougher than usual. “This
calling feels strange to me. Certainly you’re different this time.”

Gideon did not argue the point. He was more interested in what Kane was thinking.

“Explain.”

“In the past, you’ve shown little interest in those we were called to protect. You assessed the situation and then used us as your weapons to put the evil to rest. It mattered not for whom we fought but only that we fought.”

Gideon felt obliged to point out the obvious. “That is the duty given to us by the gods. That is why we are called from the river—to fight evil and protect the weak.”

In his head, he added,
And why we then stand side by side to face judgment again, each time hoping, praying it will be the final time. That at long last my friends and I will know peace.

Even though he didn’t utter the words, Kane knew what he was thinking. They’d been friends far too long for Gideon to hide much from him. Although Gideon wanted this unending damnation to end for all four of his friends, he wanted it most for Kane, whose life had never been easy. That Gideon’s thoughtless actions had only made it worse was a guilt he would carry to the grave.

If he ever had one.

Once again Kane read him as easily as Duncan did all of those manuscripts he loved to pore over. “I made the choice to stand beside you, Gideon. I have had far too few friends in my lifetime to allow you to face this curse alone.”

Then Kane grinned, the resulting sight never exactly reassuring. “Besides, my friend and I have always loved a good fight. This one promises to be worthy of a warrior’s blood.”

Gideon was about to order Kane one last time to fetch his sword when he spotted something high in the sky. Scim was soaring high overhead, slowly making his way down and waiting for Gideon to take notice. He stepped away from Kane and held his arm out at shoulder height, bracing himself to take the bird’s weight.

That was all the encouragement Scim needed, and he immediately went into a sharp dive. He’d dropped only a short distance when a bright flash of light streaked across the sky to hit the bird. Scim screamed as he pulled up and tried to wing his way back up into the sky.

“What just happened?” Gideon asked, not expecting an answer.

A second flash of light followed the second. Both men watched in horror as, between one heartbeat and the next, the falcon crumpled in the air and plummeted back toward the ground. Gideon took off running, at the same time reaching out to Scim with his thoughts and hoping to share his strength with his avatar.

Down and down Scim fell, fighting to regain control. His movements were far too sluggish to slow his descent. Bound as he was to the bird, Gideon could feel Scim’s fear and taste his pain, slowing his own movements and making it hard to put one foot in front of the other as he struggled to reach the injured bird.

Kane caught Gideon’s arm when he stumbled and almost plunged headfirst to the ground. He managed to keep them both upright, but just barely. Kane jerked Gideon to a stop and forced him to look in his direction instead of at the impending tragedy in the sky.

“Captain, cut off your tie with Scim. Now, before it is too late.”

Gideon fought to break free of Kane’s grasp, needing to reach the falcon. “He’s hurt. He could die.”

“And if he does, he’ll take you with him unless you break the link between your minds right now. The gods
have given you a job to do. Your duty to them comes first.”

“I don’t care.”

“Then care about Lady Merewen and what will happen to her if we fail—if you fail. Would you condemn her to wander in the darkness with us?”

His words were getting through as much as Gideon wanted to deny their truth. It took some effort, but he closed his mind to Scim, barely managing to break free from the tangle of their thoughts. Echoes of the bird’s fury faded in Gideon’s head. Kane released him to charge toward where Scim was about to hit the ground.

At the last second, the big bird burned the last of his strength to catch just enough air under his wings to slow his fall. He still hit the ground hard, but even from a distance Gideon could see Scim struggling to stand up.

That didn’t mean he would survive. An injured bird couldn’t hunt. Gideon could provide game for Scim to eat, but what if he could no longer fly? It would be far kinder to put Scim down now before he suffered such a fate, even if it would destroy a part of Gideon he would never get back.

Both men slowed down, Kane stopping short of reaching their destination. Gideon appreciated his friend’s forethought. Although Scim was well acquainted with the warrior, he tolerated others only because Gideon asked it of him. Right now, in pain and hurt, Kane’s presence would only add another layer of strain.

“I’ll fetch your shield.”

Gideon managed to nod as he crooned soothing words full of promises of comfort and prayers for the healing touch of the gods. As he chanted, he eased closer to his feathered companion, not wanting to startle the bird. Scim had managed to stand, but he was holding his right wing at an awkward angle, dragging it on the ground as he half limped and half hopped toward Gideon.

Rather than guess at the full nature of the injuries, Gideon cautiously reopened the link that would join their minds. The first wave of pain almost knocked him out. How could Scim remain standing in the face of such agony?

Finally, the gyrfalcon stopped struggling, instead waiting for Gideon to come to him. Already Scim’s eyes looked dull. Whether it was due to the pain or to death’s stealing the spark from his gaze was impossible to say.

If only the bird could hold on until Kane returned, Gideon would chant the simple spell that would return Scim to the shield. With luck, the act of returning the falcon to the sanctuary of the shield would keep him stable until nightfall. Both the Damned and their avatars healed faster after sundown, a gift from their gods. As they waited, Gideon knelt on the ground and pulled the bird gently into his arms.

Scim struggled against the embrace, using up even more of his waning strength.

“Hush, boy. Stay calm.”

But Scim continued to fight, finally snapping at Gideon’s fingers with his beak, but not with his full strength. It was as if he were trying to convey a message. Once again, Gideon linked with the bird’s thoughts, this time fighting through the waves of pain to see what it was Scim was trying to show Gideon.

His leg—was it broken, too? Gideon slid his hands gently over Scim’s body, keeping his touch light as he felt for wounds. Instead, he found a note tied to Scim’s leg. He located the end of the string and worked it free. A small scrap of paper dropped into his hand. As soon as Gideon had it in his grasp, Scim fell against him, his mission complete.

If Gideon hadn’t been able to feel the bird’s every breath, the collapse would have scared him far beyond the terror he was already feeling. Kane was coming. A
second set of footsteps meant that Duncan had returned from the hunt and was headed right for them.

The sun had barely reached its zenith, weakening Gideon’s ability to call Scim back to the shield. If he failed…

No, he would not allow thoughts of failure to lessen Scim’s chances for survival. Kane set the shield down next to Gideon and started to back away to where Duncan had come to a stop.

“Stay close, both of you. I will need your strength.”

They knelt down on the grass beside him and placed their hands on his shoulders. He closed his eyes and drew in the comfort of their touch. Even Scim seemed to breathe more easily. Gideon forced his mind beyond the immediate moment, seeking instead the calm of the river, the soothing flow of the water.

Slowly, then with more speed, he chanted the words that would call Scimitar back to rest within the shelter of the shield. Over and over again, he repeated the spell, pouring every hope, every prayer he had within his heart into the words. Nothing. Scim still lay in his arms, his life force slowly ebbing away.

Gideon opened his mind to the bird, ignoring his friends’ protests. As he and the falcon linked, he told Scim of his love for him. He promised to ensure the bird would not suffer and thanked him for his service and friendship.

Within seconds, Scim’s heartbeat sped up again, matching Gideon’s heart in rhythm; his breathing grew stronger as well. After a flash of hot light, Gideon’s arms were empty. Once again, the bird’s image was emblazoned on the shield although faded and dull. Obviously the war was not over even if the first battle had been won. Gideon could only maintain a vigil until he learned whether the gods’ magic would allow Scim to heal.

His own strength was at low tide at the moment. Kane
forcibly dragged him up off the ground and aimed them both back in the direction of the cottage.

Duncan held out his hands. “Let me carry the shield for you.”

Gideon waved him off. He needed that small connection with Scim right now. When they reached the cottage, Kane led Gideon inside and shoved him down on the bench. “Stay there.”

The shadowy interior felt cool and soothing. He didn’t know if getting the shield inside and out of the sun would help, but it wouldn’t hurt. Already, his own tolerance for the bright light of day had increased substantially since leaving the river behind, but the night remained more comfortable.

“Drink this.”

Duncan shoved a dripping cup of water into Gideon’s hands. The cool liquid tasted sweet, helping to cleanse away the taste of worry and fear for his feathered friend. When he finished, he held the cup out. Instead of taking it away, Duncan filled it a second time.

Gideon managed a small laugh. “Has anyone ever told you two that you’d make a fine pair of nursemaids?”

Kane looked particularly disgusted by the suggestion, which went a long way toward improving Gideon’s mood. He closed his eyes and continued to sip the water as he contemplated what had happened outside. Logically, he knew the entire episode had taken but a handful of minutes. Even so, it was as if everything had seemed to happen slowly, each image vivid in his head. Scim soaring in lazy loops up high in the sky, then starting down when he realized Gideon had seen him. Then something happened. But what? A flash of light followed by a second one. He remembered the pain in Scim’s scream as he tumbled from the sky.

“Kane, what did you see?”

His friend sank down on the floor, stretching out his
long legs in front of him. Gideon noted that he kept his sword within arm’s reach. Did he sense a threat to more than just Scim?

“We were talking, but then you spotted Scimitar returning from the keep. The bird began his dive when you held out your arm, but then there was a bolt of lightning.”

He frowned. “But with no answering thunder. How could that be? And if Scim was close enough to the flash to be hurt, why was he not burned? None of this makes sense.”

No, no, it didn’t. And now that he’d had time to catch his breath, Gideon’s temper was stirring again. He nodded in the direction of Kane’s sword. “What are you sensing that you feel the need to keep your weapon drawn?”

Rather than answer, Kane closed his eyes, and the mark on his cheek darkened briefly. His upper lip curled, revealing the longer-than-normal pointed tips of his canine teeth, another gift from his grandfather’s magic.

“A faint echo of that same feeling I had two days ago. I might not have noticed it at all if I hadn’t been looking for it.” He wiped his hands on the hem of his tunic as if he’d touched something foul. “I have yet to recall the nature of this threat, but I will.”

Gideon studied his two friends. “And you, Duncan. Did you see anything while you were out riding this morning?”

“Grass. Horses. More grass. No sign of anyone in the area.” He smiled. “I did see Kestrel out there running with his band, leading them farther away from Lady Merewen’s keep, toward the mountains, although the grazing there would not be nearly as good. It now occurs to me to wonder if he, too, senses that something evil moves upon the plains.”

It was just as Gideon had feared. The evil they were
sent to challenge existed beyond the keep itself. He considered their choices. Until they had more information, they were flying in the dark. He glanced toward his shield and thought perhaps the colors were growing brighter. He hoped that was true; he would need Scim in the days ahead.

The plan had been for Duncan to wait a few more days before approaching the keep to avoid any suspicion that he was acquainted with Murdoch and Averel. Unexpected visitors had to be rare at such an isolated manor. Too many arrivals so close together might draw unwanted suspicion.