Ten Crescent Moons (Moonquest) (33 page)

"I do
not accuse you. I blame Benfaaro for your delusions. For all that has happened
to you. I tell you the world has never seen a greater monster."

"The
world has seen at least his equal," Adalginza gently reminded him. "It
was your Captain Heinste the Cruel who raped and tortured little children when
he and his followers first came to the frontier."

"He was
brought to justice," Kalos said grimly.

"I see.
And I also see that you live under a double standard. Rather than bring
Benfaaro to justice to pay for his crimes, you instead instruct your knights to
exterminate the women and children of the savages so that they can no longer
exist to be a problem for you."

"Not
the same thing at all," Kalos mumbled.

"Tell
me, husband. How will you accomplish this noble mission of yours? Will there be
civilized rules of conduct? Is there a way to kill that is kind? How will you
do it? With a rock to smash in the skulls of their children? Or would a sword
through tiny hearts be more humane?"

"Stop
this talk! You are mad!"

"No.
You
are the one full of madness now. And hate! It is poisoning you. I do not even
know you anymore."

"Maybe
you think you don't know me," Kalos said softly. "Much has happened
since we arrived here. But please know I have stood by your side for almost two
full seasons now. Were you aware it has been that long?"

"No."
She considered his words almost with wonder that so much time could have passed
without her knowledge.

"You
could walk with me at times, but your mind was somewhere else for so long. For
too long."

Adalginza sank
into one of the plush upholstered chairs, stunned at the news.

"Two
seasons?"

Kalos sat in
the chair beside her.

"Much
has happened during that time," he said. "The savages have
obliterated eighteen of our settlements. Did you know that?"

"No. Of
course not."

"They
have driven us back to the coastal regions of the frontier. Sola Re is the only
interior settlement that remains whole. We have other remote fortifications,
but they are all at risk now."

"I did
not know."

"And
while we suffer defeat after defeat, the Prime Congress holds back through
talk. I am desperate for more knights and armament. At this point, I would do
almost anything — even the unthinkable — to defeat Benfaaro. Do you understand
now?"

Adalginza looked
at him accusingly. "I understand only that you have been with Sagawea all
this time. And she has been poisoning your mind."

"Please.
I have a mind of my own."

"You
heard Lady Swiala. Sagawea answers to a faction whose only motive is profit,
even if she has convinced herself otherwise."

"She is
an intelligent, well-spoken woman. And, at this point, I care not what her
motives may be. We are, after all, on the same side."

"And
what are your motives now, Kalos? Duty? Or revenge?"

Kalos considered
this for a long while before he finally answered.

"I will
not rest until I do to Benfaaro and those who follow him what was done to my
own."

Adalginza
took a deep breath, and then decided to take a monumental risk.

"Then let
your bloodletting begin with Benfaaro's child. She is here. In Lady Swiala's
abode."

Kalos
watched her sadly. "You are delusional again. Calasta is not your child.
And she is not Benfaaro's child."

"If she
is not Benfaaro's child, then who do you think she is?"

"You
are
related," Kalos said. "I have no doubt of that, because I see the strong
family resemblance in your faces."

"Then
how do you suppose the child and I share a bloodline?"

Adalginza
asked this question cautiously, wondering if Kalos had guessed the truth.

Kalos
studied her face. "It was well known that Lady Donzala's husband enjoyed
co-mingling with the natives at the Place of the Circles. I believe Calasta is
a grandchild of your father. Such mixed births are rare, but not unheard of."

"I see.
So you believe Calasta has at least a small part of the bloodline of one of the
Crescent Houses. How, then, do you propose to kill the part of her that is still
savage?"

"Stop
it, Adalginza. I do not find conversation amusing. Or necessary."

"You
have sworn revenge against all savages. So will you kill this innocent little child?
If so, go now. Find her. Be a brave soldier, take out your Crescent sword, and
run her through. Or perhaps first you would like for her to suffer. Captain
Heinste knew how to make little children suffer."

"You do
me an injustice, woman!"

Adalginza
remained unrelenting. It was of utmost importance for her to revive the Kalos
she had once known.

"It
might be better if you returned with Calasta to the frontier. Then you could
instruct Zartos to kill her, instead of treating her as the little sister he
never had."

"Enough
of this."

Kalos regarded
her furiously.

"I once
thought you had the blood of savages in
your
veins. That perhaps your
mother was so consumed with madness that she consorted with a savage and then
bore you. But now that I am in this abode, I am certain of one thing. You are
Lady Swiala's granddaughter in truth. For you have both her eyes and the blades
on her tongue."

"Do not
change the subject. I ask you. Do you understand that this little girl who has
been under your protection wears the face of the enemy you have named?"

"I will
hear no more of this."

Kalos
started for the door. Adalginza kept pace with him, following.

"When
you begin your campaign against the villages, you will see the face of Calasta
each time you slay a child. For spilling the blood of innocents, your soul will
be forever damned."

Adalginza
wanted to add:
As mine is.
But she resisted the impulse, when he stopped
and turned back to her with eyes full of pain..

"What
else can I do? There is no other way."

"But
Kalos, there
is
a way. Just listen to me. Please."

"All
right then. I'm listening."

Adalginza
hesitated. Now that she had his ear, she wondered just how much she really
could trust this new Kalos. But she had to take the risk.

"Remember
when I told you that there were others Of The Blood? Others who could rule the
tribes?"

"Yes."

"The
truth is there are only three. Benfaaro is Of The Blood. Calasta, too, is Of
The Blood. She really is his daughter. And there is one other."

"Only
one other? Besides Calasta?" Kalos looked keenly interested. "Then
she really is his daughter."

"Yes."

Now was the
time to face the captain's wrath. Or his understanding.

But
Adalginza was going to tell him the truth. All of it. She took a breath, about
to reveal herself as the third person Of The Blood. But she stopped herself when
she saw something hard as steel in his expression.

He placed
his hand on the hilt of the sword he carried in the scabbard strapped to his
waist.

"You
told me once that the tribes would fall into chaos and internal warfare without
one Of The Blood to follow," he said. "This is what keeps them
united."

"Yes. I
did, but — "

"I
thought you said there were many Of The Blood," Kalos interrupted
brusquely.

"I did.
But I lied."

He didn't
even pause to ask her why she had lied to him.

"So
there are only three. And if those three are slain, the tribes will be helpless
against our forces. Excellent. Thank you for the information. This means we
have a good chance at victory."

As Kalos
suddenly turned away from her, Adalginza grabbed his arm.

"Where
are you going?"

"To
find Benfaaro's daughter. And kill her, while she is still within my grasp."

"No!"
Adalginza screamed. "No, this was not my intent! Hear me out! Hear the
rest!"

"Fear
not. I will be merciful."

Kalos pulled
free of her grip, though she struggled with him. He threw open the door. He
slammed it in her face, and she heard the scrape of a metallic bolt sliding
into place from the outside.

Adalginza
stood, dazed and desperate, as she realized that she no longer knew at all the
man she had once called husband.

Adalginza
poised her hand above the door, about to pound it desperately, when she heard
the outside bolt scrape.

The door
flew open, to reveal the anxious face of the servant woman who earlier had
brought the refreshments.

 "The
little girl is playing in the courtyard," the servant said in a lowered
voice. She looked around furtively, then pointed. "It's that way. Go. You
must save Benfaaro's child."

"You
were listening outside? Spying?" Adalginza asked, amazed. "I do not
understand. Your hair is the color of cream. Your skin is light. And how did
you know about Calasta?"

"My
mother bore the child of a Crescent knight. I was created. As you were. For the
purposes of Benfaaro. We will talk of these matters later. But for now, go. Go!"

Many
impressions tumbled across each other, vying for attention as Adalginza darted down
the hallway, past several startled maids.

Would Kalos
be capable of harming Calasta? Could Adalginza's love for him turn to hate in a
single, bloody instant?

Yes, she
decided. It could. It most definitely could.

Adalginza
saw that she was on the second, upper level of the palace as she ran to the
railing and peered down into the courtyard.

Calasta was
there, playing with an incakit and lost in her own world.

Kalos
approached behind the unsuspecting child. His hand rested on the hilt of his
dagger.

Neither saw
Adalginza standing, helplessly, above them. She tried to shout a warning, but
could not find her voice. Horror had frozen all speech.

She took
several deep breaths, trying to collect herself, so that she could try again.
But at that moment, Calasta stood and pivoted to face Kalos. The fuzzy incakit
was tucked securely into her arm.

"Did
you come to hurt the kit?" the child asked Kalos softly. Calasta tucked
the animal even farther into her arm, protectively.

The stricken
look on the captain's face caused Adalginza to hold back the scream of warning that
had been rising again in her throat.

"Why
would I hurt your animal?" Kalos asked gently. His hand dropped and
dangled by his side.

"Because
you killed Herol."

"Herol?"

"My
little fox. My friend. Back at the Place of the Circles."

"You
remember that?" Kalos asked.

"I
remember it now. I saw your face through Herol's eyes. I felt Herol die. I felt
his pain. I loved Herol so much. He was my friend."

"It was
an accident," Kalos said gruffly.

"No it
wasn't. It was on purpose. Why did you kill him?"

Kalos
kneeled down on one knee, and reached out to ruffle the fur behind the incakit's
ears.

At first,
Calasta turned away and held the small animal as far away from him as possible.
Finally, hesitantly, she faced the captain and allowed him to take the animal
from her arms and hold it in his own.

Kalos began
to stroke the kit. He had a faraway, tortured look in his eyes as he answered.

"Herol's
eyes glowed in the firelight. I thought he was a demon. I threw my dagger
first, without thinking. I thought only to protect Lady Adalginza — and myself."

"Oh."
Calasta sighed, and took back the incakit that Kalos handed her. "Herol
could be dangerous. I saw him kill a sreerat once. It was terrible. I felt the
sreerat die, too."

"Herol
was no threat to us, little girl. I should have waited to find out the truth before
I threw the dagger. I am most gravely sorry."

"That's
all right. I am glad you explained." She reached up and wiped away a tear.
"I was very little back then anyway. It was a long time ago."

"So you
forgive me?"

"I
suppose."

"How
much of your old life do you remember now?"

"Just
that. It hurts to remember more. I have to go now."

With the
incakit still in her arms, Calasta went skipping through an outer door and out
of sight.

Kalos stood,
head hanging low, for many minutes. Finally, he looked up directly into
Adalginza's eyes.