Gambit of the Glass Crowns: Vol. I of epic fantasy The Sundered Kingdoms Trilogy (38 page)

Kendric Pahne fastened the silver buckles on the black leather gorget around his neck. Atop the gorget, he fastened his crimson-lined sable cloak, a present from his wife’s father on their wedding day, with a simple silver pin. He put his hands on the hilts of the swords he carried at either side on his belt and took a deep, lingering breath. He forwent the defense of a shield-baring arm for the offense of long, narrow blades, but he knew his skill with them would provide far more defense than an escutcheon. He would have no need for a shield with an assailant lying in pieces.

He lifted a folded parchment from the table at his bedside. Vaughn Garanth’s signature, and his seal, granted him safe passage throughout Annwyd. Under other circumstances, Kendric would not need such papers. He would be traveling under guise as a commoner, however, and would carry only his house insignia ring on a cord around his neck, hidden beneath his tunic. House Garanth’s seal was law, even a street urchin knew as much, but Kendric knew his true protection lie at the end of his blade, not signed on a piece of vellum.

Vaughn left Castle Rotham several days prior to return to his home in the northernmost parts of Annwyd. They would meet again at House Garanth in four day’s time.

Meredith will have arrived already.

He sent the swiftest messenger in his house to carry word to his wife. The lie scrawled in Kendric’s handwriting on the scroll tucked in the messenger’s boot would save Meredith from any wrongdoing, should she be discovered. Or so he prayed.

The moon lurched high into the sky as he crept from his senatorial quarters in Castle Rotham. When he reached the dim kitchen, he found it empty of servants, save for Ellen, who quickly bowed to him. The hearth fire would soon be spent, and a servant would be by to stoke the fire any second.

“Come, my Lord.” She motioned him to follow and led him through the larder into the scullery. “As you requested, my Lord Pahne, I told the goosegirl I would clean the scullery this night. She was all too pleased to escape her chores and left with nary a question.”

“Very good.”

Ellen lifted a candle from the sconce on the wall and knelt to the floor. When she opened the small grate over the ditch, the stench of sewage and rancid kitchen water climbed into the room.

“This is the only way I know into the catacombs that will not draw unwanted attention, my Lord.”

Kendric’s mouth twisted into a grimace, thinking of his cloak. “I suppose we have no other choice.”

Putrid, ankle-deep water soon gave way to the drainage tunnel which led through the catacombs out into the waters of the Valden Channel. Blackness surrounded the perimeter of their candlelight. The catacombs were a labyrinth of stone walls, carved alcoves retaining bones and antiquities from the dawn of Annwyd.

“None have been in these catacombs for many a season,” she informed him as he scanned the carved stone. “Only the odd servant to see matters of drainage to the kitchen water.”

Kendric was surprised to find the girl relatively educated. The dullards who served the castle’s interest were normally impossible to talk to, save to issue orders.

“Were you always a servant in Denorheim’s house?”

“No, my Lord. I was once a maiden of the One in service at the Northfeld Monastery.”

“You were a maiden of the Maker, and now a servant at Rotham? What turn of events caused such a thing?”

“Lord Denorheim was in Northfeld some time ago. He visited the monastery and saw me. He said one such as I was too beautiful to remain in the dank norths of Cærwyn. Reverent Father Andras, in his all-knowing wisdom, allowed the king to return to Annwyd with me after he made a generous donation to the monastery. I thought I was to remain in a monastery in Annwyd, perhaps to become a Reverent Mother, in time, but I found myself a servant in the castle instead.”

“I am sorry.” Kendric frowned.

“The Maker has His own path for me to follow. I am certain of this. Everything happens for a reason. Even my being with child has a reason behind it, I am sure of it. As you said, if I am to have a son, he might lay claim to the throne someday. Then, Annwyd will return to its roots and worship Him, as it should.”

Kendric did not share her sentiment for the Maker, but thought better than to say such things. Soon, he saw the silver light of the moon on the stones. Never had the sea air smelled so fresh as when they set foot outside the catacombs. He shook the water from his cloak and lamented the sloshing sound in his boots as they walked across the rocky shore to the north.

Caden waited just outside the city limits with three horses. Kendric would have preferred a horse-drawn cart for Ellen, but there was no time to procure such. Their journey would be far shorter on horse, but he worried for her womb’s sake.

“Were you followed?” Caden clasped Kendric’s forearm in greeting.

“No. Were you?”

Caden shook his head.

“Come, let us depart. The king will notice my absence by morning.”

“How long shall the journey take?” Ellen asked, putting her hand on her swollen belly.

“A sennight, if fortune smiles. We will take rest at Vaughn Garanth’s estate on the fourth day where we will part ways. You and Caden shall then travel forth into Gweliwch.”

* * *

As dusk fell on the third day, their small party entered the southern borders of the Garanth province. They made far better time than Kendric could have hoped for and saw the orange glow of the torches on the walls of Garanth’s estate by nightfall.

The great hall of Vaughn’s estate was warm and inviting. A cozy fire burned cheerfully in the hearth. Food was set out for a feast on the large trestle table in the center of the room, and Vaughn was already seated at the head of the table.

Kendric’s mouth watered at the delicacies laid out on the table. Honey cakes and fruit were on the platter nearest. Savory meats and cheeses lie on a charger beyond, near several flagons. Before they sat, two servants brought in an entire boar, freshly roasted on the spit. Though they had ridden for three days, Kendric had not noticed his hunger until he smelled the delectable dishes.

“Bring mead and wines for our guests,” Vaughn ordered. “When my scouts foretold of your coming, I immediately had a feast prepared. I was not expecting you until the morrow.”

“The gods smiled,” Kendric said as he sat beside him.

“It would seem they have.” Vaughn noticed the servant girl, still standing by the door. “Please, join us, Ellen. If it were not for you, none of us would be in such spirits.”

“Join you?” She stared at her feet. “At your table, my Lord?”

Vaughn let out a belly laugh. “Why, of course, good lady.”

She timidly sat down, but kept her gaze lowered.

Kendric gulped down the wine set before him, his lips parched. He looked around the room, expecting to see Meredith. “Where is my wife?”

“She has already retired to the guest quarters. She arrived only this afternoon.”

Gods be damned, I told her to leave with haste.

“When will you depart for Gweliwch?” Vaughn took a bite of bread, looking to no one in particular as he dipped it in the boar juice on his plate.

“At daybreak, senator.” Caden tore off a chunk of the honey bread for himself, waving away the servant girl who offered him pressed blueberry wine.

“It is probably best that you should leave as soon as you are rested. The sooner Ellen is safely out of Annwyd and beyond Madoc’s reach, the better.” He took another bite, and then sipped his mead.

The hours of the night passed quickly, and soon only Kendric and Vaughn remained at the table.

“What news have you?” Vaughn took a sup of wine.

“Nothing good. I am afraid the new high king will not live up to his bloodline.”

“I feared as much. If Cærwyn cannot provide a balance for Annwyd, Madoc will garner far more power than we thought. If threat of war with Cærwyn is not looming, he will see no reason not to do as he pleases.”

Kendric cracked his knuckles and stared at the table, biting the inside of his bottom lip where an ulcer had grown overnight.

“What is it?”

“What if…‌what if Annwyd falls?”

Kendric felt Vaughn staring at him and squirmed in his seat. Beneath the bravado of a beguiling senator, Kendric Pahne felt very young in the older man’s presence.

“If Annwyd falls, we will know we have done everything in our power to prevent such a thing. No one could ask any more of us than that.”

What he wanted to hear was an assurance the kingdom would never fall. What he wanted was to hear his life would be safe. What he did not want was to hear the great Senator Vaughn Garanth, tales of whose greatness were told to children, admit the possibility of defeat.

Vaughn scratched the back of his hand, flakes of dry skin scattering on the table, as he yawned. “It is late. We should retire for the evening.”

Kendric pushed his chair back from the table and stood, just as the servants began to clear away the platters and remaining food. “I will see you before I depart on the morrow.”

Vaughn only nodded, hobbling away from the table and out of the hall.

Though he had not been to the Garanth estate since he was a child, Kendric managed to remember the way to the quarters allotted to guests. He stumbled up the steep staircase, from exhaustion or imbibing, he did not know, and pulled himself around the corner into the narrow hall.

“I wondered when you would leave for the night.”

He grabbed for the hilt of his sword, but fumbled with his cloak.

“You drank too much.”

Kendric saw Caden seated on the settle a few paces from him.

“Do not sneak‌—”

Before he managed to finish the sentence, Caden’s lips met his. He wrapped an arm around the Gwelian soldier’s neck and gripped the small of his back. Caden’s hands found his waist.

Kendric closed his eyes.
I forgot how good he tastes.

He broke away from the kiss, running his thumb over Caden’s lips and denying him another indulgence.

“I cannot. Not tonight.”

Caden wriggled his fingers beneath his belt. “But you can.”

Kendric let him have his fun for a few moments before taking Caden’s wrist in his hand and pulling it from his breeches. “No, and neither can you. You have to leave at first light.”

“The best reason to savor the night while we have it.” Caden attempted to kiss him again.

“You make a good point, but I must speak with Meredith. It is urgent.”

Caden stepped back, assuming the rigid stance of a soldier. “Of course.”

Kendric batted his eyelashes, certain Caden could see the affectation. “But, oh! Wouldst thee thrust thou sword into thine scabbard throughout the cold night‌—”

Caden punched his arm. “You are an ass.”

He laughed and kissed him with a peck on the lips, grazing the scruff of Caden’s chin with his tongue. “And you would deny me discussion of great import for pleasure.”

“You have never been one to turn down pleasure.”

He stifled another laugh and turned toward the guest quarters.

“Kendric.”

He turned back to Caden, noticing the strained look on the soldier’s face for the first time.

“We will meet again, will we not?”

“You worry too much,” Kendric replied, as flippantly as he could manage.

Only when he turned the corner did he let himself sigh. He regained his composure with an immediate gasp of air as he realized Meredith stood in the open doorway. He relaxed his shoulders and pulled her to him in a tight embrace, unable to hold back the tears.

“I was so worried you would not make it here.” He inhaled her sweet scent as his fingers brushed through her hair.

“So that was him?” Meredith motioned past him.

Kendric glanced back in time to see Caden closing the door to his quarters. “Caden, yes.”

He held the door open for her and she walked into the room.

A freshly emptied goblet set on the bedside table, droplets of the wine still clung to the inside of the glass and caught the light from the fire. On the floor beside the table, a tipped-over flagon.

“Your message was vague at best.” Meredith pulled a blanket from the bed and wrapped it around her. “What is going on?”

“I could not risk implicating you if someone found out.”

“Found out what?” She embraced him. “What have you gotten yourself into?”

“I cannot tell you, not everything at least.” He paused for a moment. “Tell me first, how many days travel is it to your father’s house?”

“From here? Why would you have me come all the way to the Garanth province only to‌—?”

He shook her gently by the shoulders. “Just tell me, Meredith.”

“Äœmhair is over a fortnight’s ride from here, and another two-day sail, if the wind fares us well.”

Kendric took a deep breath. He knew Caden could take Ellen to Gweliwch in only a few days, if the snows held off, but Meredith’s road would be far more treacherous.

“Kendric.” She took a step back to clasp his hand in hers. “You are scaring me. Has something happened?”

“The girl we brought with us, did you see her?”

Meredith shook her head.

“The king took her from Northfeld Abbey under guise to work in his house. Andras probably assumed she was to serve as tutor for Madoc.”

“But what‌—”

“She is with child. The king’s child.”

Meredith dropped his hand, stunned. Clearly, she knew what this could mean for Annwyd. “Why do you always get yourself into such things?” she said.

“Ah yes, remember that time I asked you to flee for your life because I was caught up in a political scandal to overthrow the king with his own bastard?”

She shot him a wry look, but laughed despite herself.

He pulled her close again and squeezed, pressing his cheek against the crown of her head. “I could not bear to see harm come to you.”

She breathed into his neck. “How long have we known each other?”

He thought back for a moment. “Nine years?”

“Almost, yes.” She pulled away, the light shining on her damp cheeks. “I will leave Annwyd as you ask. My father will be happy to see me after all this time.”