“Shit.” She looked out over the mountain. “Shit.”
He didn’t like being jabbed about it, but there were going to be a lot of people coming and going over the next few days to give whatever help they could, and they would need to be fed.
Surreal drew in a breath and huffed it out. “All right, then. You and Uncle Saetan can baby Marian until she starts snarling at you, and Jaenelle and I will bully Lucivar.”
He bristled. “Don’t you think Lucivar deserves a little pampering too?”
She gave him an odd look. “Sugar, to an Eyrien male, being bullied is a kind of pampering. Don’t ask me why, but sometimes nothing says ‘I love you’ to a male better than getting a whack upside the head.”
She walked into the eyrie, leaving him out there to ponder the perversity of his own gender and the mystery of hers.
A
fter renting a horse at Grayhaven’s Coaching station, Ranon headed for the parts of the town where he’d spent some time. He didn’t want to be here, didn’t want to be wasting a day pursuing something Shira couldn’t explain. But she’d gone all hissy cat on him last night and insisted that he come to Grayhaven today.
That wasn’t fair, Ranon scolded himself as he rode through the streets and felt a grim uneasiness settling over him. Saying she had been a “hissy cat” diminished the power of the feelings Shira had last night. And remembering the tightness in her face, the worry in her eyes . . . Something was pushing her to push at him, but this time her tangled web only gave her a sense of when something was coming and not what was coming.
Now that he was here, he wished he’d asked Archerr or Shaddo to come with him.
This town didn’t feel right anymore. Or more to the point, it was starting to feel the way the towns and villages had felt for the past several generations: discouraged, resigned, wary. Angry. He rode through the shopping district and had the odd sense that shopkeepers were letting their windows stay dirty and weren’t bothering to sweep the walks as a deliberate way to discourage the interest of some customers.
Like aristos. Or Queens.
You don’t have to go up to the mansion, Shira had said. Just go to the places in town where we’d shopped or visited. Then listen to your heart.
He could have used something less cryptic. Then again, maybe the messages were here. The women who sold them plants when Gray was working on the gardens at the mansion asked him if the Rose Queen was coming back to Grayhaven. Some of the shopkeepers came out of their stores to ask if the court was returning. He heard the hope in their voices when they asked, and he saw the dull acceptance in their eyes when he told them Cassidy and her court were remaining in Eyota.
He stopped at a tavern for a short glass of ale. It was late morning, too early for a drink as far as he was concerned, but he’d gone in because you could usually get a feel for what the men were thinking—and there were too many men there for the time of day. That in itself was not a good sign.
Why wasn’t Theran seeing any of this? The man was supposed to be ruling this town. Why wasn’t he heeding warnings that were so clear? Grayhaven was the capital of Dena Nehele. When Cassidy left a few weeks ago, there were signs of people shaking off the years of war and the decades of abuse at the hands of twisted Queens. Now shops that had been open were closed, empty. Now people hurried along the walks with the same hunched wariness that had been typical of the people everywhere in Dena Nehele.
What was Theran doing that people were reacting this way? Ranon didn’t like him, but that was a clash of personalities. It didn’t mean Theran wasn’t a good man or a good Warlord Prince. So why wasn’t he doing something to fix whatever this was?
Ranon continued riding through the streets, becoming more and more edgy. Enemy camp. Enemy ground.
His instincts shouldn’t be telling him those things, but he could feel himself preparing for a fight.
When he reached the guardhouse that marked the line that separated the landen part of town from the Blood, he hesitated for a long moment before he urged his horse forward and continued down the street.
There was an ugly feeling here. As he rode toward the craftsmen’s courtyard, he created a skintight Opal shield around himself. Where were the craftsmen? Where was the merchandise?
He looked over at the area that had been occupied by the weaver family and saw James Weaver step toward him, looking grim, angry, and battle-hard.
“Prince,” James said, “I would speak to you.” He caught himself, as if just realizing he’d issued a kind of challenge. Then he added, “If you will permit it.”
Ranon stared at the man, assessing the temper he saw in those eyes. He and Shira had come here often while Shira was healing JuliDee’s face and checking the eye that had almost been lost because of two Warlord pricks. Those sessions, and his and Shira’s presence among these people, had become cordial enough that Shira would have a cup of tea with the wife and daughter while James shared a glass of ale with him.
So what would put that look in a man’s eyes? Why would there be so much tension just because one of the Blood rode by?
The answer came to him. He was off his horse and grabbing James’s arms so fast the other man didn’t have time to react.
“Is something wrong with your family? Is that why they aren’t with you? Your wife? Has something happened to your daughter, your son?”
James relaxed. “They’re all well, Prince. I thank you for asking.” Then he looked uneasy, so when he stepped back, Ranon let him go. “The Rose Queen stood up for us landens, and your Lady healed my little girl. You helped me and mine, so I thought . . . fair warning, like.”
“Fair warning about what?” Ranon felt a chill settle in his gut.
“When Prince Grayhaven’s bitch takes control of Dena Nehele, there’s going to be another uprising. And this time it won’t end until all of us are dead—or all of you.”
Ranon stared at James, shocked speechless. Then he shook his head. “Cassidy’s court stands. She rules everything but this town, which is under Prince Grayhaven’s control. Kermilla isn’t going to rule Dena Nehele.”
“She says she is.”
No. It wasn’t just that he wanted Cassie to rule; the thought of Kermilla ruling filled him with dread.
“Thing is,” James said, “I’m tired of destroying, tired of fighting and killing. But if it has to be done again, I’d rather fight for something than against something.”
A plea in those eyes. Messages under the spoken words.
And suddenly Ranon remembered what Jaenelle had said to him: People looked beyond themselves and made room for you. Remember that, Prince.
Before he could work out what he wanted to ask James, a handful of guards rode up.
Ranon turned and put up an Opal shield behind him, protecting the landen since the hostility in the guards’ psychic scents was sufficient warning that he’d walked into some kind of trouble.
The senior guard, Lord Rogir, stared at him for a moment—and the Warlord’s aggression faded with recognition. “Prince Ranon?”
Ranon nodded, noting the way the other guards had fanned out. Two were keeping an eye on the landens; the others were watching him.
“Prince, if I could have a few minutes of your time?” Rogir asked.
Taking a careful measure of the tempers around him, Ranon dropped the Opal shield behind him and turned to James. “I’ll be back.” Then he strode far enough away to be out of earshot.
Lord Rogir dismounted and followed him.
“Is the Rose Queen coming back to Grayhaven?” Rogir asked.
“No,” Ranon replied. “She’s settled in Eyota. So is the court.”
“Is Lady Cassidy leaving in the spring? Is it true the other Dharo Queen is going to rule Dena Nehele?”
“You all seem to know something more than Cassidy’s court knows,” Ranon said. “Lady Kermilla can fart words all she wants. Doesn’t change who is ruling Dena Nehele now—or who is going to continue to rule.
The court stands. If the Queen is challenged, we’ll fight.” It wasn’t really his place to make such a statement without more of the First Circle present, but he was sure of the truth of it.
Rogir glanced at James Weaver. “Can you do anything for them? This town isn’t safe for that family anymore.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Whether she rules officially or not, Theran Grayhaven has given this town over to the other Queen. She says she outranks the Rose Queen and can countermand any orders we’ve been given.” Fury swept over Rogir’s face. “She brought those two Warlords, Garth and Brok, into this part of town a few days ago—and she made the kind of warning threats we’ve all heard before about what will happen to anyone who opposes her now. Since then, my men and I have kept a close watch on this courtyard. Those Warlords came back this morning, and they were looking for Weaver’s little girl. They blame her for the punishment they damn well deserved. If they get their hands on her this time, they’ll do a lot worse than throw horse shit and stones.”
Ranon felt sick, cold.
“I’ve got a wife and a daughter about the same age as his.” Rogir tipped his head toward James. “I’ve kept an eye on these folks because of that. Gotten to know them. Blood and landen . . . We may be from the same race, but we’re not the same. We’ll never be the same, so we don’t fit together easy. But a father is a father, and I think about the fear that would be eating my gut if two Warlords had that look in their eyes when they asked about my little girl.”
Easy enough to guess where this conversation was heading, but the words had to be said. So Ranon waited.
Rogir cleared his throat. “Those landens need to get out of Grayhaven. And I want my family out of here.
The guards who have been riding with me to protect the landens and have followed the Queen’s command?
They want to get out too. Especially the one who is newly married and hoped for a better life than he or his wife had known before.”
People looked beyond themselves and made room for you. Remember that, Prince. “I can’t make any promises before discussing this with the Queen,” Ranon said.
“Understood.”
Listen to your heart. “I’ll meet you back here after dark, and one way or another, we’ll figure out how to get your family out of this town. The other guards as well.” He glanced at James Weaver. “And them.”
“I’ve got a sister . . .” Rogir trailed off.
“Have a list ready for me.” Ranon hesitated, but it had to be said because it could make a difference between someone choosing to go or stay. “You’ll probably end up living in the same village as the court.
That means living in a Shalador reserve.”
“I’ll let the others know, but if the court is there and your people are willing to have us, I don’t think anyone who wants to leave is going to care about those kinds of boundaries.”
Ranon nodded and returned to James. “How many of you want to get out?”
James looked at him as if not quite daring to believe the question. A glance at the other craftsmen, who nodded. “Several families. All have skilled craftsmen who aren’t afraid to work hard.”
That would please Burle, Ranon thought. Cassie’s father wasn’t afraid of working hard either and required the same commitment from anyone who was going to work for him.
“My brother has sheep.” James sounded cautiously hopeful. “They give a fine wool that my wife spins for our weaving. And Tanner’s cousin has cattle for meat and leather. I know a dairyman too. Maybe . . .
maybe a dozen families in all.” He looked sad. “Too many here think the past will be our future. They’ve given up hope. They’ll stay here to fight or die. Some of us would like more for our families.”
Ranon signaled for Rogir to join them. Looking at Rogir, he tipped his head toward James. “Can your family shelter his tonight?”
“We can,” Rogir replied without hesitation.
“I don’t know where you will end up, and I don’t know what I can offer beyond the promise that I’ll help you get out of this town,” Ranon said.
“I’ll talk to the men I know want to get out,” Rogir said. “Tell them to pack up what they don’t want to leave behind.”
James made a gesture that took in himself and the other craftsmen who were watching them so intently.
“We were relocated here after the uprisings. We were allowed only what could fit in one wagon. Everything we have can still fit in that wagon.”
Ranon looked at the two men. They had stood on opposite sides during the uprisings. Now they stood together as fathers and husbands—and men who, if they had to fight again, wanted to fight for something instead of against something.
“Start packing,” he said. “We’ll meet back here during the aristo dinner hour.” Less chance of running into Theran or Kermilla at that time. “I’ll give you the Queen’s decision then.”
Mounting his horse, he rode back through town and found himself passing one of the shops that held the kind of merchandise only an aristo could afford. He stopped, dismounted, and went in, not sure what he was doing there.
Hell’s fire. He knew what he was doing there: looking for something to sweeten the half-promises he’d made on his Queen’s behalf.
“May I assist you?” the merchant asked.
Sweets. Cassie had dipped into the loan Sadi had given the court and given her First Circle half what was due them from the coming tithe, so he had a few marks he could spend.
“Chocolates,” he said. “A small treat for the Ladies.” He emphasized small because the stuff was wickedly expensive.
The merchant studied him. “You serve Lady Cassidy.”
Ranon felt his body tighten, but he wasn’t sure why since the man had made no hostile move. “I do.”
“I heard she is now living in a village in the eastern Shalador reserve?”
“She is.”
“Is she intending to stay there?”
“She is.”
A hesitation. “Would there be room in that village for another shop?” Ranon blinked. Another one looking to run? He looked around the shop. “The Shalador people couldn’t afford your fine merchandise.”
“I can adapt and sell what people need.”
There weren’t any shops like this one in Eyota, but there were going to be the shops owned by Sadi.