Pixilated (24 page)

Colt tightened his fist in Kayseri's hair
and he used his hold to drag her to the tent flap. A single glance
said the battle was not going his way. Some of his men fought, but
the stomach gripe had weakened them. Most were all ready on the
ground.

"You must really be a tasty little tart. Too
bad I won’t be gettin’ any." Pressing his dagger to Kayseri’s
throat, Colt stumbled from the tent.

Kayseri held her tattered gown in place
covering her breasts. Her first thought upon seeing Kree was not
one of relief, but of how wrong she had been. The purple rage and
searing white-hot fury she’d seen in the temple had nothing to do
with Kree's battle rage. Kree was a void, a terrible dangerous
emptiness. No colorful aura surrounded him. No emotion moved in his
eyes. Cold certain death stared out of their glacial green
depths.

Bravado firmly in place, Colt did not seem
to notice. "You’ve got me champion, and I’ve got your little tart."
He yanked Kayseri’s head back. The knife caught the little sun's
first soft rays. "The question is how bad do you want her?"

Kree set his crossbow to his shoulder and
tilted his head very slowly to the right, sighting down the length
of the bolt.

"Take it easy there. Let's talk about this.
Could be you’re that good with a crossbow. Could be you’re not. I’m
guessin’ not. Do you really want to risk your tart's life?"

Kree closed one eye.

Kayseri felt Colt’s tremor of fear. He put
just enough pressure on the knife to break her skin. Blood bloomed
below her ear. Kree's crossbow thrummed. There was a brief stab of
searing pain before Kayseri's world filled with blood and she fell,
dragged down under Colt’s weight. The next then she knew strong
arms lift her, and someone touched her neck, someone so filled with
magic his touch seared her skin. Heat coursed through her veins,
and her world went black.

Chapter Nineteen

Kree crouched on the polished wood floor
outside Rian's bedchamber, knees pulled up to his chest, arms
hanging loose over his knees. A swarm of Nhurstari women had swept
Katie and Rian away as soon as they returned to the lodge. Day's
ago. Hours, he reminded himself. It had only been hours. They had
told him he could not stay with Kayseri. They would not have said
that if they known how close to madness he tread.

A pale hollow-eyed Rian appeared in the open
doorway. "I’ve called blood to replace what she lost. The healers
have repaired the damage, but your little lady needs rest, Kree
Fawr. She has been through an ordeal."

"Has she asked for me?"

Rian's gaze slid to the right.

"I’m going in there."

"But your body needs rest too. Do all humans
push themselves as you do?" Rian smiled. "Besides, you'll see her
tonight at my banding ceremony. The healers say she'll be recovered
by nightfall, and I would be honored if you walked with my
companions."

Rian squatted beside Kree mimicking his
posture. "You cannot crouch in the hall any longer, my friend. My
ladies will not have it." He leaned conspiratorially close. "They
say you hulk outside the door like a gargoyle. Elves have no love
for gargoyles, Kree Fawr."

"Here is the way it is, Rian, I either see
Katie now or this gargoyle runs wild through your hunting lodge. Do
you really want that to happen?"

Rian tilted his head very slightly, his
amber eyes wide and amused. "You have a flair for drama do you
not?" Pushing to his feet, Rian offered the captain his hand.
"Perhaps a short visit would do both of you some good. A very short
visit."

The Nhurstari ladies scattered before Kree
like frightened sheep before a hungry wolf. Only one old woman had
the courage to remain at Kayseri’s bedside, perhaps because Rian
remained at Kree’s shoulder. Kree gazed at Kayseri, small and pale,
in the grand bed belonging to Rian. His big blunt fingers caressed
her cheek. She took a deep shuttering breath and smiled in her
sleep.

The old woman said something in Nhurstari,
and Kree's questioning gaze moved to Rian.

"She says," Rian nodded at Kayseri. "The
little one draws strength from your touch. She says I was right to
bring you."

It was about time someone around here showed
some sense. Kree bent down, pressed a kiss to Kayseri’s forehead.
"Sleep well, sweetheart. I’ll see you later."

"Come, Kree Fawr." Rian tugged his sleeve.
"Let me show you to a room where you can bath and rest. Oh! We’ve
found your belongings. My people will clean them for you before
tonight’s celebration."

Kree and Rian had not gone far before Duncan
came striding down the wide hallway with the captain’s hired
Templemen hard on his heels. "Captain, sir," Duncan said. "May I
speak with you a moment?"

"I live to serve."

"These gentlemen tell me the mercenary
captain appeared to have something against you personally. Did you
sense that?"

"I did, but I’m sure I have never met the
man before."

"Sir, I need you to examine his body,
please."

Please. Not a request, an order. Duncan was
giving him an order. It was a day for wonders. "Why?"

"He bears a rectangular mark, sir, beside
his right ear. Could he be Goddess-born?"

Kree frowned "I’ll come. Give me a minute.
Rian—"

"Of course, Kree Fawr, do what you must.
When you’ve finished your business, ask anyone to show you to your
room."

Nhurstari lords did not keep horses, so
there were no stables. Kree could not imagine how they traveled.
Red Fist had laid the dead beneath the trees, out of sight of the
lodge. Duncan led him down the line to the mercenary captain’s
body. Squatting down, he turned the dead man’s head to the
right.

"Well?"

"It's a tattoo. Goddess marks are brands.
Not the same thing at all. "

"But you recognized it, sir. I saw it in
your reaction."

"I think I've seen this design before, but
it was a long time ago. I’m not positive." He pulled a knife from
his arming harness and cut away the tattoo. "Preserve this for me.
We'll need to show it to the Great Ladies. Where are the rest of
his men?"

"Following our standard procedure, Chana
took their parole. We returned their weapons and released them. It
was not until your Templemen spoke to me that I suspected this man
was more than he seemed. I acted without due diligence, sir. I am
sorry."

Kree pressed the heels of his hands against
his eyes. Fatigue swept him. "You followed the protocol, Shug.
Don’t beat yourself up. Get a burial detail out here right away.
Tonight’s banding ceremony marks an important alliance between
Nhurstari and Thallasi. Princess Sandahl and the Majority Apparent
have suffered a great deal to bring it to pass." He toed the
mercenary’s body with his boot. "If it all shakes out the way I
think it will, it might be an important alliance for us too. Let us
not have the smell of decomposition marring the occasion."

Kree's recovered possessions, his gryphon
knives, his saber and bastard sword, three Temple knives, and,
blessed the Goddess, his custom-made boots polished to a mirror
finish awaited him when he awoke. He found his uniform clean and
pressed. The dragon's eye blue coat shocked the eye with its
brilliance. He dressed quickly and hurried downstairs following the
lilting sound of feminine voices in hopes of finding Kayseri. He
had much he needed to say to her starting with I love you.

Some magic of Rian’s willpower or an army of
servants had transformed the great hall from a battlefield into a
ballroom. Nhurstari guests had continued to arrive for Rian and
Sandahl’s banding throughout the afternoon. Preparations moved
forward while Kree slept. Colorful tents had sprouted up under the
tall trees like mushrooms, and the lodge swarmed with a host of new
servants, cooks, waiters, and musicians. A string quartet had
assembled on the landing overlooking a room where mere hours ago,
Hueil had witnessed the end of his rebellion. Kree skirted around
them bounding down the stairs two at a time.

Little snippets of conversation drifted to
him as he passed through the crowded great hall searching for
Kayseri. Rian’s Nhurstari guests had never seen a Thallasi before,
and most were curious, eager for a glimpse of their little
princess. They regarded the humans huddled together near the door
as an exotic treat. Namar's tears, Kree would never find Kayseri
among all these shining folk.

"Kree Fawr!"

Kree veered off his course and joined the
party hailing him.

"You look so beautiful!" The young elf lord
declared.

Kree inclined his head, unsure of propriety
in this company. "Scrubbed, polished, and smelling better, eh..."
He paused, eyes narrowing. "Eoin." The elf’s glow of pleasure told
him he had gotten it right.

"It was very wrong of me to say that. How
did you recognize me?"

Kree winked, flashed Eoin a cocky off-kilter
grin, and held up his hand with his thumb and forefinger pressed so
close together a hair could not have passed between. "You’re
taller. As to the other, I’m not easily offended. Where did all
these elves come from?"

"Oh. All over. This is the most exciting
thing to happen since..." Eoin lifted one shoulder in what passed
among the Nhurstari for a shrug. "I’m not old enough to remember
since when."

"Rian asked me to walk with his companions.
What do companions do exactly?"

"Nothing really. Our legends say that our
banding rite comes down from a time when magic drove our males mad.
A female seeking a mate worked an enchantment. In the twin suns'
dying rays, she summoned her chosen mate to her side by trapping
him within a mighty casting. An ancient, I guess she is sort a
priestess in your culture, performed the banding rite. The
enchantment well and truly caught the male. The thing is, under the
female’s compulsion a male is helpless to all but her call. It
falls on his companions to insure his safe journey to her side.
Otherwise, he might be slain and replaced by some other male who
has seen the female and wants her."

Kree was amazed. "Really?"

Eoin blinked bright innocent amber eyes. "I
have no idea. It’s a legend. Anyway, Sandahl will summon Rian. The
guests will light lamps and go out onto the lawn. They will try to
hinder him, but his companions—that's us, will clear his way."

The captain nodded gravely.

"It’s all symbolic, Kree Fawr. The only
enchantment is sealing the bands. Our ancient still does that."

"Don’t worry." Kree laughed. "I won't
kill
anyone."

Eamon and Garen drifted over to join
them.

"Who is that trooper over there by the door,
Kree Fawr?" Eamon asked. "The one with the blazing blue eyes."

The captain looked in the direction that
Eamon pointed not that he needed too. "Aimery Duncan, my first
lieutenant."

Eamon gave a one-shouldered shrug. "He
is–"

"We say genetically blessed around the
garrison because anything else will get your bell rung."

"He is very beautiful, but I was going to
say he looks uncomfortable."

"Ah, well, Wilderkin make him nervous."

The twins exchanged a glance. "They won't
after tonight."

Kree shook his head. "Don’t hurt him."

The twins laughed.

"Look," Eoin said. "Here’s Rian."

Nhurstari’s Majority Apparent glided toward
them draped in his House colors. A long carmine robe heavily
embroidered with gold leaves covered him from neck to toe. A crown
of braided leaves held his wavy hair off his brow. Rian flashed the
robe open revealing nothing underneath but a rough leather
loincloth.

"Kree Fawr." Rian nodded a greeting. "Look
at you! You clean up well." His smile took in his little group of
companions.

"Why does everyone sound surprised?" Kree
clapped Rian on the shoulder. "You look...nervous."

"It’s funny. I am as excited as if this were
my true wedding night. You cannot imagine what a momentous day this
is for my people."

A ram’s horn sounded outside. The guests
trimmed small lamps and moved toward the open doorways. Duncan and
the Red Fist shied over to their captain. Rian caught his lower lip
between his teeth as the horn trumpeted again.

"This is it." Rian strode out onto the wide
stone step trailed by his chosen companions and Red Fist.

The sight that greeted them stole Kree’s
breath. Hundreds of lamps twinkled like little stars. Dying
sunlight limned three figures standing on a raised platform at the
edge of the lawn. Sandahl, dressed in a tight fitting cloth-of-gold
gown topped with a flowing duster of carmine lace inset with
rubies, stood beside a shriveled ancient elf. She held a thin
length of silver chain in her hands. Kayseri stood to Sandahl's
right, wearing a form-hugging carmine satin shift overlaid with
flowing gold lace that simmered with yellow gems. The same yellow
gems threaded through the raven curls piled high on her head. Inky
curls spilled down her back in a splendor of sheen and sparkle.
Kree’s breathe rushed out as if someone had punched him in the
stomach.

Chana poked his shoulder. "Close your month,
My Captain. I don’t care what you’ve heard. Women don’t really go
for that slack-jawed lust-filled look."

At the third blast from the ram’s horn,
Sandahl stretched out her hands, the twin suns' rays glinted on the
thin chain. In a strong melodious voice she called out, "Nhurstari
Rian, First among the Houses, Sandahl Sara el Thallasi summons
you."

Fingers shaking, Rian removed his robe and
handed it to Garen.

"Nhurstari Rian, First among the Houses,
Sandahl Sara el Thallasi, compels you. Come to me."

The moment Rian stepped off the porch a
guest blocked his path. Eamon touched the elf’s shoulder, but as he
moved aside, another took his place giving Rian hard a push. He
stumbled, but Garen steadied him with a hand under his arm. Then a
female elf blocked Rian's path. Laughing, Eoin pulled her aside.
Kree judged the next challenger his duty. It went on, the mock
challenges, until Rian knelt before Sandahl, and the suns dropped
below the mountains.