Treasure So Rare (Women of Strength Time Travel Trilogy) (13 page)

Beyond that, he knew Camdork played a more dangerous game
than the pleasures of the flesh. If the queen were to find out, no doubt he
would be sentenced to death.

He turned to the three crones who stood silently, awaiting
his direction. "I would hear your news," he said. "Tell me what
you know of my lady Iliana and what I may use to gain her cooperation?"

¤¤

Erik stared out the barn door at the light breaking in the
sky. He ran the brush over his horse's hindquarters slowly, listening, casually
dropping his other hand to the knife at his hip. The destrier nudged him and he
picked up the wooden bucket and poured it into the horse's trough.

"How fares my lady Iliana?" queried a voice from
behind him.

Erik ran the heel of his palm across his borrowed mount's
jaw, then turned around. The shadows half concealed the dark figure standing in
the stable corner, but then Camdork stepped from the shadows. He was now clean
shaven. Erik had been aware for some time that he was being observed, but he
had waited to see what transpired. He got an unsettling feeling looking at the
other man. With his clean shaven face, they looked even more alike.

Casually sliding his dagger back into its crude sheath, Erik
turned fully to face Camdork, one brow raised. The man looked rough, dressed in
tattered dark clothing and short boots. Beyond him Erik saw his horse, its poor
head hanging to the ground, blood flecked foam along its mouth.

"Your horse is ready for death, Man, have you no notion
how to treat an animal?"

Camdork laughed somewhat sourly. "Yea, we've been
riding all day. I need a fresh horse. I would have killed the worthless mount,
but he at least got me here. Look at me," he laughed, "Peasant's garb
stolen for a good cause, surely. I am quite unnoticeable, would you not
agree?" He jerked his head back toward the horse. "Even my horse is a
borrowed nag and quite unremarkable. There is nothing to make me memorable. A
perfect situation so that I might discover what plot is afoot against my
queen."

"So you say," Erik commented. "Do you know
what happened to the girl Agnes?" he asked, watching the man closely.

Camdork shrugged. "There was one you could have had for
the picking."

"So it was you who killed the girl?"

Camdork snapped irritably, "A serving girl -- so what? You
sound concerned. Do not become overly comfortable, pretender, for you shall not
be here overlong. I grow weary of sleeping in the damp forest." Abruptly,
his voice changed. "How do you find the fair Iliana? Is she as beautiful
as her sister Graziela?"

Erik kept his face impassive.

"Yea, I am sure she is even more beautiful,"
Camdork added, grimacing.

Erik watched a strange looking black owl land on a limb in a
massive tree beside the stable. It turned its head and watched them with bright
red eyes.

"These circumstances are damnable, to say the
least," Camdork lamented. "Having begun this, I must see it through.
She is not unduly suspicious?"

Dryly, Erik said, "She seems only to recall the past
and what you had done. She was not excessively welcoming. One would think she
despises you."

Camdork laughed. "It is to be expected. It is a boon to
find another sister available, and I have to wonder where she was hidden when
last I stayed here. From all accounts she has been on her own far too long.
I've a desire to dig myself in deep here, after all there are business needs
which must be seen to and this location is perfect to catch traders as they
pass through."

"To loot and steal from them no doubt?" Erik said
dryly.

"Excellent idea," Camdork said. He rubbed his
hands together. "It will be a fair romp when I get Lady Iliana under me. She
must beget heirs if she is to keep her lands, with her father and brothers
gone. And I'm not talking about the little bastard she carries about now."

Erik clenched a fist, pressing it against his thigh.

"When we officially marry, I will rule these lands."
His smile vanished and his eyes narrowed. "My men tell me her men-at-arms
kept them at bay when you arrived?"

Erik laughed with genuine amusement, he could not do
otherwise. "Is that what you were told?"

Camdork stepped closer, very little evidence of amusement
upon his face. "You accuse my men of lying to me?"

"Not exactly. It's true your men were not given free
entry. We waited outside until the gate was opened. It was my lady Iliana who
kept your men at bay."

Camdork's brows rose in disbelief. He uttered a short laugh.
"You jest, of course. My men are seasoned warriors, many of them paid
mercenaries. A woman would have no chance --"

"She is skilled in sword play."

Camdork laughed heartily.

Erik shrugged.

"Any skills she possesses are of no consequence. Soon I
will be entrenched in the fair lady's life and I will decide where she
goes," Camdork boasted.

Impatiently, Erik said, "I would know how my man Jock
fares. If he suffers under your care --"

Camdork waved his hand in unconcern. "The man is alive,
do not fret. I advise you to forget him until your duties are completed.
Certainly, you should have no complaint. 'Tis a simple life here, you will not
have to work overmuch. My men report you give them a fine sport in the training
yard." The other man eyed him speculatively. "Perhaps a time will
come we shall see who is better at this game of warfare."

"I do not play at war," Erik said dismissively.

Camdork grinned. "There may come a time when you change
your mind. Now, I expect to hear what goes on inside these walls. I dare not
come too close in case I am seen. And do not lie," he added with a snarl.

Erik said, "You were mistaken about the reception you
would receive, as perhaps you are incorrect about what goes on inside the keep.
Iliana was not overjoyed to welcome Camdork and his men at arms."

Camdork snickered. "Yea, I suspected as much, but it
was not something you needed to worry over. She is a woman -- a few fine jewels
and she will be swayed into my arms." A gleam appeared in his eye.
"If not, I will enjoy subduing her. You can help matters along. Prepare
her for my coming."

"How so?" Erik grew rigid.

"I have no desire to quell a weeping woman, nor hold
one in my arms."

"Be more specific," barked Erik, his fury rising.
"You would ask me to bed your intended wife?"

"Nay, not that!" Camdork exclaimed fiercely.
Looking about the stable, he lowered his voice. "I warn you if you touch
her, I'll rip off your arms and legs and put you out for the dragons. Merely
prepare her for the possibility, bring it up in conversation. Now that I am
clean shaven and free of my beard, we look even more alike, and she will be
none the wiser. Perhaps I shall come under cover of darkness to claim that
which is my due. I've a need to taste of this sister." A smile grew upon
his lips as if the idea took hold.

In a cold rage Erik advanced on the other man. Raising his
fist, he swung it without thought. "You ask too much, you loathsome
bastard." The impact of flesh on flesh was a loud crack on the still night
air. In the shadowy night, Camdork flew backwards.

Disbelieving, Camdork stumbled to his feet, pressing a fist
to his mouth and looking at the blood on his knuckles. With an infuriated roar,
he surged forward, catching Erik in the midsection. With a powerful swipe of
his arms, Camdork brought Erik crashing to the ground.

Camdork drew his boot back and Erik caught the flash of
steel. He caught the other man's foot before it thrust into his ribs. Mightily,
he twisted the foot, eliciting a groan from the other man. Shoving him away,
Erik evaded the blade which swiped by his neck and reached forward to catch the
other's legs with his feet. Tripping him, Erik pinned Camdork to the ground,
his fingers tangling in his greasy hair and yanking his head back. Knocking the
blade onto the dirt floor, Erik pressed Camdork's windpipe.

"Shall I end it here?" he bit out, pulling the
man's head back even further. "Give me a reason not to snap it like a
twig."

"Nay, nay, desist," muttered Camdork, his face
drawn into lines of pain, the muscles of his throat working furiously. With a
grunt of disgust, Erik released the fistful of hair and stood up. Turning his
back, Erik began to saddle his horse.

Hoarsely, Camdork said, "Bah! It is you who are crazed.
I shall take the woman in lust, but you, you are already ensnared. Has she
grown upon you then?"

Erik turned from the man, looking at the silhouette of
softly rolling hills. They were so different from the mountains he had become
accustomed to.

"She is no dumb, accepting animal of the fate you have
prepared."

"If you think to trick me with words --" Camdork
spit blood. Feeling his jaw, he stood and came closer to Erik. "Ponder
this. My men have boarded your vessel, bringing your crew and ship under my
command. I can burn your ship as she sits in the water. Either you continue to
do as I bid you or I shall carry out that very deed."

Erik's jaw tightened. "You are a bastard,
Camdork."

"Should you try to mislead me, I will slaughter your
crew. And you will be an especially easy target."

"In my time, you would be deemed a coward," Erik
said with deliberate calm.

Camdork lurched forward, spitting blood from between his
teeth. "I warn you, pretender, I will not hesitate to kill you should your
usefulness be outweighed by your arrogance. I have eyes everywhere," he
warned. "And take care with my horse. He is devoted to me, you know."

Erik patted the horse's nose as the animal nudged him.

"And do not make him soft," Camdork snapped.
"You pat and pamper him, he will be useless."

Erik raised a brow. "Or you will gain his trust and he
will take you far," he said softly.

"You eat my food, wear my fighting garments, and now
you ruin my horse."

Erik gathered the reins in one hand and turned to mount the
destrier.

A faint sound, he turned as Camdork rushed him. A split
second he saw the glint of a blade. Putting a hand up, he blocked the knife
from his neck, but the blade came down and slit wide the sleeve of his tunic.
Feeling the destrier move restlessly at his back, Erik drew his other fist back
and punched Camdork in the collarbone. With a roar the man lunged at him again,
but the destrier, with a squeal, pushed past Erik in the narrow alley and
rushed between the two men and out the stable.

Camdork muttered a string of curses, lying on the dirt floor
where the horse had knocked him down, holding his arm and hand.

Erik swayed, watching the other man warily as blood ran
warmly down over his hand.

"Get up and get out," Erik said. "You put all
this in motion and then you disappear for days and weeks. I'll stay until I'm
ready to go."

Camdork got to his knees and then gained his feet.
"This is not over. I'll have Mandrak reverse the spell. All will see you
for the pretender you are."

"I will imagine all will be greatly relieved to see the
truth that I am not the beast Camdork. Now, you will not harm anyone else here
-- be gone."

Camdork walked back to the horse he had ridden, jerked the
animal forward with his good hand. "If I had wanted to kill you, it would
be done." He mounted clumsily and disappeared into the shadows of the
yard.

Erik whistled softly for his horse, and as he did so, the
black owl he'd seen earlier left the old tree, screeching in the early morning
as it flew off. Erik looked at the blood still running down his arm. With a
grimace, he knew he needed to take care of it right away. He was beginning to
feel a bit lightheaded. He walked to the stable door and whistled again, and
the destrier came trotting into the yard.

"My Lord," said Edward, running in behind the horse.
"Your horse --" Seeing the blood on Erik's arm, Edward rushed
forward.

"I am fine, get the horse, lad." Edward bent to
retrieve the horse's broken rein and led the animal inside to secure him in his
stall.

Erik noticed a small linen pouch almost buried in the dirt
and reached for it. He studied it curiously, the painstaking stitches which
kept a small flap closed, and in rubbing it between his fingers he realized
there was something inside.

"What goes on here?"

Erik spun around. He had not heard Ulrich come into the
yard. He pushed the small pouch into his belt.

Ulrich stared at him suspiciously. "You're bleeding
like a stuck pig," he said grimly.

"Aye, that I am."

Ulrich went into the stable and then came out and thrust a
wad of linen strips toward him.

"Thank you." Erik quickly wound the strips around
his arm, trying to stem the flow of blood.

Edward came from the stalls, skirted Ulrich and came to
Erik's side. "My lord, Sorenta can give you a healing lotion. I will go
find her."

"Thanks lad," Erik said, and turned to Ulrich when
the lad ran off.

 Ulrich moved closer. "Camdork cannot be trusted,"
he said in a low voice. "He grows more dangerous with each passing
day."

"And yet you ride with him."

"In these times, all manner of alliances are
formed," muttered Ulrich.

Erik looked at him. "You knew he was here." Erik
ripped what remained of the sleeve from his tunic.

"I know all the comings and goings," Ulrich said
gruffly. "But there is naught I can do to interfere in what is the
sorcerer's business."

Erik lifted a brow. "There will come a time when you
will have to choose a side," he said softly, and he left Ulrich to ponder
his words.

¤¤

Iliana stoked the fire in the hall before the morning light
stole over the mountain. She became aware of a shadow as someone moved across
the hall, bumped into a stool and then muttered a soft curse. She lifted the
iron rod from the hot coals of the fire pit and stood, holding the rod before
her as she turned toward whoever lurked on the far side of the great room.
"Who is there?" she asked loudly. "Show yourself."