Heroes at Odds (23 page)

I could sympathize with that, a little. “One of the liabilities of being discreet and trustworthy.”

“And you feel I have those attributes?”

“From what I’ve seen.” I hadn’t known her long, but everything about her felt like she was someone solid and dependable.

Radia paused, appearing to collect her thoughts. “I know about the group of casters. The ones who live around here.”

I didn’t know how to react to that. I wasn’t prepared to confirm the existence of the circle. Denying it would be a lie. I didn’t want to lie to Radia.

“Lady Westsea is going through an extremely trying time,” she said.

“As are her tenants,” I responded.

“Aye, and I’m worried about how much more they can take before they snap.”

“And do what?”

She shrugged. “Leave, I suppose.”

“But they just went through the fealty ceremony swearing loyalty to Her Grace.”

“I worry that might not keep them here. Not when they’re plagued with one mishap after another.”

I supposed I could understand that. When things were unrelentingly bad, a fresh start became attractive, even when changing meant leaving home and property behind. “But you have something in mind to address all that.”

“I think if the rock were hung again, it would contribute to restoring everyone’s confidence in the viability of Westsea.”

Oh, right. I’d forgotten about that possibility, with all of the mess that had been happening since she had first mentioned it.

“Is this something you would be willing to discuss with the other casters?”

I didn’t want to. It would feel like I was asking a favor, and I didn’t like the idea of becoming even more beholden to them. But I agreed that raising the rock would lift everyone’s spirits, and Fiona deserved all the help she could get. “I’ll ask, but I don’t doubt they’ll be concerned about being watched performing a spell with such obvious effects. No one would be able to pretend the casters were a secret anymore.”

“Perhaps it could be done at night, when most would be in bed.”

“I suppose, but even if we can lift the rock, I doubt very much that we can muster the fine control needed to maneuver the hooks into the chains.”

“That is something I can handle, I believe.”

“How?”

“Mainly I’m thinking of having a couple of people on the arch manipulating the chains.”

Not a job I would have wanted. The arch was high and not broad. And I could envision hands and fingers being crushed between the heavy iron articles. “More people who will see us casting.”

“I promise I will choose well.”

I was too tired to be contemplating anything more difficult than what dress I would wear that day. I’d spent every ounce of strength I’d had the day before. Could I not be granted a few days just to wrap my brain in cotton and not deal with anything?

“You will ask them?”

“I will ask them. As soon as I can.”

“And if they are reluctant, will you try to persuade them?”

I heard some swearing from the bedchamber. Taro was awake. “I will present to them your arguments, but as your arguments, not mine.”

“You don’t sound like you’re in full agreement with the idea.”

“I will have to see what the task will entail before I agree to it.”

She smiled. “You’re the sort who, when asked if you will do someone a favor, demands to know the nature of the favor before committing to it.”

“Of course. To agree to do something before knowing what will be expected of you is just stupid.”

“That’s my girl,” Taro said from the door between our bedchamber and the sitting room. He was leaning against the doorway, and it looked like that was the only thing keeping him standing. “Morning, Roshni.”

“Good morning, Source Karish.” Radia’s smile turned into a smirk. “You look terrible.”

He blew her a kiss before crossing the room to take my hand. Immediately, most of the pain drained out of me, and I almost sighed with relief. Some Pairs, when they touched, could ease each other’s pain. We, fortunately, were one such Pair.

With my hand, he prompted me to move to a settee, where he could sit beside me with an arm around my shoulders. It felt lovely.

“It must be something important if you were going to limp all the way here,” he said.

“I was asking Shield Mallorough if she and the other casters could help hang the wind rock.”

“You mean Nab? It seems a massive job for two people.”

“I’m hoping it is something all the casters can handle.”

Taro frowned. “What casters?”

During the resultant silence I realized I still hadn’t told Taro about the circle of casters. Lovely.

Radia was a perceptive woman. “I need to get back to my room.”

Taro jumped up to help her stand, and the pain slammed back into me. “I’ll see you to your room.”

“No, no. It’s good for me to manage on my own. Thank you for your time, Shield Mallorough.”

Taro held the door open for her, and after he closed it behind her he looked at me with a raised brow.

I had promised the others not to tell anyone about them. Not even Taro. Sort of. I thought.

Actually, I couldn’t quite remember whether I’d promised or not. I didn’t care. I owed Taro a far higher duty than I owed the circle. And I liked him more. “There are a number of casters in the area who meet once a month or so to practice casting. Browne took me to a meeting the other day. They’re supposed to be a secret, but from what Radia says, it’s a secret everyone knows.”

“I see.” He sat beside me and put his arm around my shoulders. The pain once more seeped away. “I’m sure you have an excellent reason for not telling me.”

“Uh, I forgot.”

“You forgot?”

“I only just met them, and things have been going on since then.”

“I see.”

“I thought you would be more annoyed.”

He winced. “Well . . .”

Ah. His was the forgiveness of the person needing the same in reciprocation. “So what have you been hiding from me?”

“The next test is steeplechasing.”

“Yes.” Of all the tests to be performed, that was the most dangerous one. And the most stupid. Suicidal idiots leaping horses over walls and across ponds. I was terrified Taro was going to fall and break his neck.

“It won’t be the first time I’ve done it.”

“When would you have been doing it?” Was that sort of thing taught at the Source Academy?

“Since we got here.”

I glared at him. “You what?”

“It’s what everyone does here.” His tone was just a shade too calm to be considered defensive, but just a shade.

“How often have you done it?” I demanded.

“I don’t know. Every other day or so.”

“So all this time I thought you were gambling—”

“I was, strictly speaking. We were betting on the winners.”

“You were risking our lives for a bet?”

“Don’t you take that path with me. Casting is just as dangerous, in its own way.”

I grit my teeth. He was right. Sort of.

“And it’s just as well I’ve had the practice, isn’t it?”

I was angry, but I was aware I had no real right to be. It wasn’t as though I could tell Taro what to do. Long breath in. Long breath out.

“Lords, the breathing. I’d rather you hit me.”

He shouldn’t tempt me.

It was time to push my thoughts in a more profitable direction. I could sit there, feeling exhausted and sorry for myself, or I could do something useful for the people in the manor who were worse off than I. “If we help each other, we could get to the kitchen and get some tea and food together. For everyone, maybe.” Though that thought could be ridiculously optimistic.

Taro snickered. “You’re not thinking of cooking, are you?”

“No. Neither are you.” Unlike me, Taro could actually cook well. “I’m thinking bread and cheese and fruit. And then maybe get it all to people. That’s going to be the hard part.”

“It feels to me that getting dressed is going to be the hard part.”

The twisting and bending required to dress did feel a little on the brutal side, while getting down the stairs, holding hands, wasn’t so bad. I imagined we were far better off than everyone else in the manor, which meant we would see to everyone else, if we could. But while I wasn’t in much pain when I touched Taro, I was still exhausted, and there was no way I was going to be able to carry dishes to everyone else. Maybe we could just put something to eat and drink together in the dining room, and somehow call everyone down. It would be good for everyone if they started moving a bit.

But, to my surprise, the kitchen wasn’t empty when we reached it. Bailey, a couple of footmen, a handful of maids, the cook and a few of the kitchen staff were chopping and frying and setting up trays. It smelled fabulous, and I was instantly starving again.

“Source, Shield,” Bailey greeted us. “We can have a tray brought to your suite shortly.”

“Actually, we were wondering if we could help,” said Taro. Everyone in the room stopped what they were doing, turned, and stared. The reaction was not appropriate to Taro’s statement. Had we done something wrong? Violated some protocol?

“That’s not the sort of work you should be doing, my lord,” said the cook before turning back to his pot.

Taro’s mouth tightened. He had always hated being addressed as a lord. “In difficult times, everyone should be doing whatever they can.”

“And you did that, Source Karish,” said Bailey. “We saw you in the village yesterday.”

“There you go,” said Taro.

“Is it common for Sources and Shields to engage in activities so far beneath them?”

“How can rendering assistance possibly be beneath anyone?” Taro asked with a shock I shared.

“I think there are many who would find it easy to answer that question in detail.”

“They wouldn’t be people I’d respect,” said Taro. “Lady Westsea was there, too. Did you see her?”

“Of course.”

“So she and I are of like mind in the matter. What can we do to help?”

“Stay out of our way,” Bailey responded with a wry smile. It was interesting. The demands of the day seemed to be causing certain very proper people to lower their guard a little. It was nice. “If you would sit there.” He nodded at a small square table set directly against the wall where, I believed, cutlery was polished and knives were sharpened. “We can see to you.”

“We didn’t come here to create more work for you,” Taro objected.

“My lord,” Bailey said patiently. “I can’t know exactly what Pairs do, but you are all that can protect us from the earthquakes and the tsunami, which have the potential to destroy everything and kill us all. It is in our best interests to make sure you are properly cared for. Yesterday, you and Shield Mallorough did your best to help people who are really only strangers to you, and that was a noble and wondrous thing. But today it is time we all resumed our proper places.” He pointed at the table. “Sit.”

He said it with such authority that we sat without thought. The cook filled two bowls with stew, a footman poured tea for Taro and coffee for me, and Bailey served us dark bread and cheese. It looked marvelous and smelled marvelous and tasted marvelous, and once we were done I didn’t want to leave. I was tempted to put my head down on the table and go back to sleep. That would look too slovenly, though, so I let myself be prodded to my feet by my Source and led back to our suite.

But on the stairs we were stopped by another maid, who told us Fiona wanted us in her office. I bit back a groan and followed Taro back down to Fiona’s office. Just before we knocked on her door, I heard Cars loudly announce, “It’s finished.”

Damn it. For a few lovely hours I’d managed to forget about the existence of the Prides.

We entered upon Fiona’s bidding, and found both of the Prides and my mother there. Everyone looked irritable, which was suitable, as that was how I felt.

“Thank you for coming,” Fiona said wearily. I didn’t know exactly why the Prides were speaking to her, but it was probably the last thing she needed to be dealing with right then. “I thought it best that we were all together so I can clear this up quickly.”

“There is nothing to clear up!” Cars objected. “Marcus was at the field at the appointed time.” Marcus, looking a little gray, covered his eyes with one hand. “Source Karish was not, thereby forfeiting the test. Marcus wins the challenge. The contract is to be fulfilled.”

And that was the downside of forgetting about the Prides. I’d forgotten about the test as well. Even as Taro had been telling me about steeplechasing, I didn’t remember that the test was to be held today.

Good afternoon, panic.

“You are being ridiculous,” Fiona told Cars. “Neither your son nor Source Karish are in a fit state to be steeplechasing. Just look at them. It would have been too dangerous.”

“Marcus was prepared to take the risk. He was there.”

“I wasn’t,” said Fiona.

“With all due respect, my lady, that isn’t relevant.”

“With all due respect, Trader, it is. You and Holder Mallorough instated me as the adjudicator for the tests. I was not there today to initiate the test nor to determine the winner. No one forfeited anything.”

“You are favoring Source Karish,” Cars accused her.

“I am favoring good sense and common decency. Neither party is in a healthy state to engage in such a challenging ride. I have far more pressing matters to attend to right now. And it would offend my tenants to have a race the day after their livelihoods were destroyed.”

“This isn’t about them!”

“It is taking place on my land, and everything here is about them.”

“These are not trivial matters to be delayed!” Cars objected.

“They are to the tenants. This is a form of entertainment to them. That’s what happens when you choose to conduct your affairs in such a public manner.”