Sacred Knight of the Veil (8 page)

Kerra paled, her eyes narrowing. "And I see an insolent commoner whose rank far exceeds his manners."

"Ah, but it was your own dear, wise mother who gave it to me, and for killing your grandfather, too. A man who richly deserved to die, as do all his sons." Blade smiled. "When your father was my captive, only the Queen's request saved him."

"I know of all your deeds, Lord Conash," Kerra retorted. "But your boorish conduct does you little credit. I had thought that a man of such legendary prowess as yourself would deport himself with a little more decorum, even if you are a commoner."

Blade chuckled. "I see that when stung, you have inherited enough of your mother's pluck to give a good account of yourself. She was a great queen, and would never stoop to insults."

Kerra opened her mouth to continue the debate, but Chiana was quicker. "What are you doing here, Blade? I thought we had finished our business last night."

"My curiosity got the better of me, I am afraid. I wanted to meet our young queen. I have not seen her since she was an infant. I am disappointed, I must say."

"You do care."

"Did I say that?"

"Why else would you want to meet her?"

He shrugged. "I once went to a tavern to see a lady with a beard, but I did not care about her, I can assure you."

Kerra made a strangled sound of rage, and Chiana schooled her features into a mask of regal hauteur. "My Lord, you would do well to be more polite in the Queen's presence."

"She is a child, Chiana, and a spoilt one at that. It is just as well I have refused to take her into hiding, for I would hardly be able to bow and scrape to her then."

Chiana glanced at the furious Queen. "In that situation, you would not have to, I assure you."

"Really?" He eyed Kerra, and Chiana got the impression that he was toying with them.

Before she could rebuke him for it, Kerra burst out, "I would not go anywhere with this boor! How dare you even consider such a plan, Chiana? I will stay here in the palace and consider Prince Endor's suit when he arrives. If I like him, I will decide whether or not to wed him."

"Indeed?" Blade cocked his head, studying the girl. "So, you do not believe that he wishes to imprison you. Very well then, let us assume he does not, and that he, with the aid of his half-brothers, has kidnapped Kerrion's wife merely for the sake of offering to become your husband. Under Jashimari laws, the Queen does not marry, she only takes a consort. Are you a Cotti, Kerra?"

"No." The girl looked confused. "I am half Cotti."

"And which half rules your decisions?"

"I am the Jashimari Queen. I abide by the laws of my land."

"Then you cannot marry Endor. For one thing, he is your uncle, for another, you are too young, and finally, the Jashimari Queen does not marry."

"Then perhaps I shall take him as my consort when I am old enough, if I find him pleasing."

"That will only be in ten years’ time, when you are old enough to rule, and Endor will not wait that long. In fact, he will not consider your wishes at all." Blade turned and walked over to the table that held the omnipresent wine bottle and goblets. "I know the Cotti, and to him you have less value than his horse. Your regal manner and arrogance will be whipped from you, and he will treat you as a servant, which is what Cotti women are."

"He cannot!" Kerra burst out. "I am a queen!"

"To the Cotti there is no such thing as a queen. Have you learnt nothing of your father's people?"

Kerra shot Chiana a guilty look, and the Regent supplied, "The tutor Kerrion sent did not meet with Kerra's approval."

"Ah. And do you think Endor will treat you any better?"

Kerra frowned, studying the floor as she pondered the ramifications of Blade's words. Chiana was pleased to note that she did not question them, although the former assassin had something of a reputation as a liar, the girl seemed to sense that he told the truth now. Blade sipped his wine, smacking his lips.

Kerra raised her head. "Very well. I will do as my father wishes, and go into hiding."

Chiana slumped with relief, shooting Blade a grateful smile. He put the goblet back on the tray and turned to face her.

"I shall leave you to make the arrangements."

Chiana stepped out from behind her desk. "Is there no way to persuade you to help us, My Lord?"

"I cannot think of one."

"If Minna-Satu asked you, would you help her?"

Blade's brows drew together. "But she cannot, since she is dead."

"But would you?"

He shrugged. "Perhaps."

"Why?"

"She would have asked nicely."

"I have begged you."

"You are not a queen."

"I am your wife." Chiana glared at him, realisation dawning in a cold tide. "But it is nothing to have a wife beg for your aid, even if she is the Regent. A queen, now that is different, is it not, Blade? Are you so petty? Is that what you crave, the power to make a queen beg?"

"Not beg. That is not necessary. But what else do I get out of it? Gold? More titles? Another estate perhaps?"

"I see." She turned and walked back to her chair. "Now that there is nothing material you want, it is power you desire."

"What did you think, that I would do it out of duty? Loyalty? Honour? Those things mean nothing to me."

"So Kerra must ask you then."

"Kerra? She is a child, not a queen."

Chiana sat down and ran a hand over her face. "Damn you, Blade. Why must you be so perverse?"

Blade chuckled, and Kerra frowned at him. "He is playing a game with you, Chiana. I submit that he intends to help us, when he has extracted sufficient pleasure from his lies."

Chiana raised her head, surprised by Kerra's deduction, which fitted Blade's personality so well. He accorded the Queen a mocking bow, smiling.

"The child is astute, if not entirely correct. Whether or not I decide to aid you is still uncertain."

"And what would it take to sway you?" Chiana enquired.

"Ah, well, that remains to be seen. As yet, neither of you have succeeded."

"What do you want?" Kerra demanded.

Blade cocked a brow at the Queen, his frosty eyes at odds with the slight smile that curled his lips. "Perhaps the pleasure of teaching you some manners."

Kerra opened her mouth to berate him, but Chiana said, "Done."

"Perhaps the child's pledge of complete obedience."

"Done." Chiana shot Kerra a hard look when the girl gasped in outrage. "Nothing is more important than your safety, Kerra, and I agree that you must obey the Lord Protector. Remember who he is."

Kerra lifted her chin, her eyes glinting. "Anything else?"

Blade picked up his goblet and sipped the wine, considering. "I may think of a few other conditions as they arise."

"Within reason," Chiana stipulated.

"Of course."

She slumped with relief. "Then you will do it?"

"I am surprised at what you will agree to for my help. Surely there are others who can do this just as well? Dye her hair, dress her in peasant's clothes, and she will be almost impossible to find, even in this city."

Kerra gasped. "I will do no such thing!"

"Ah, well, there is the problem. Already she is foresworn."

Chiana rubbed her brow, resting her elbows on her desk. "Kerra, you must do as Lord Conash orders, you have agreed to it."

"But..." Kerra glanced between them, looking uncertain.

"Or stay here and become Endor's servant, if you wish," the assassin murmured. "I care not. In fact, I would rather not take on this odious task at all."

"Odious!" Kerra's ire revived in a flash. "You should be honoured!"

"Really?" Blade cocked his head. "Why should I be honoured to be nursemaid to a spoilt child who will try to treat me as a servant? To spend the next few moons running and hiding from the Cotti? Living rough in the forests with winter approaching? Personally, I would rather spend my time in a warm tavern with good ale and food, and sleep in a soft bed every night."

Chiana watched the dismay on Kerra's face war with an imperious urge to argue with him. Her mouth opened, then closed, she drew breath to speak, then let it out again, her eyes darting over him all the while. The Regent pitied her, for the young Queen had never encountered a man such as Blade before, who spoke with such calm authority that he made her seem the inferior, and who clearly held neither her nor her title in any high regard.

For the first time in her life, Kerra was being made to feel like a young, ignorant girl, and she disliked it intensely, but could not refute it. Kerrion had awed her with his high status, and the fact that he was her father, but had done his best to bolster her ego. In just one short conversation, Blade had let so much wind out of her sails that she was at a loss for words, something Chiana had never seen before. Kerra had never been called a spoilt child, nor encountered anyone who did not think it an honour to serve her. She gazed at Blade with confused, uncertain eyes, and he bestowed upon her his sweetest smile, which brought a hot to flush her cheeks.

"Shocking, is it not, young Kerra, to find someone who does not consider it an honour to have you wipe your feet on him? Your mother found me somewhat trying at times too. She tried to teach me noble manners, so what little decorum I possess is due to her efforts. But even she could not order me around, and to her credit she did not try. I defied her often, flouted her wishes and even flagrantly disobeyed her, and all she did was rebuke me mildly. Do you know why?"

Chiana said, "Because she loved you."

He shot her an angry glance. "So you would have me believe. But it was more that she needed me to kill her enemies, save her lover, and protect her daughter."

"Yes, she needed you, but she also loved you. She told me so."

Blade swung away and walked over to the window to gaze out at the autumnal garden. "I did not come here to discuss ancient history, or the alleged emotions of our dead queen. I don't care what she felt for me. It's entirely irrelevant."

Chiana inclined her head in gracious acceptance of his rebuttal. "As you wish, My Lord. Shall I make arrangements for Queen Kerra's departure with you?"

"I do not recall agreeing to take her."

"Come now, Blade. You know you will. Once more a queen has grave need of your aid. You will not refuse."

"Indeed?" He turned from the window, his lips curved in a sweet, mocking smile. "And what shall my reward be?"

Chiana glanced at Kerra. "I am sure the Queen will agree to whatever you wish."

"I do not require anything of her. It is within your power, as Regent, to grant my request."

"Then name it."

"The death of all the Cotti princes involved in this plot, once Kerrion's wife is safe, or if she is killed. Especially if she is killed. I want you to hire one of my former apprentices to do it."

Chiana glanced at Kerra again, noting the girl's sudden pallor. "Those are the Queen's uncles."

"They are murderous scum, like all Cotti. Kerrion would do it himself if he was able. Since he is not, you will be doing him a great favour."

"And is your apprentice good enough to do this?"

He shrugged. "He is not as good as I was, but I think so."

"If he is caught, the Cotti judges will know who hired him and demand retribution."

"Will they? Any Jashimari noble could have hired him, and he will not confess, even under torture. They may guess that it was you or Kerra, but they will have no proof."

Chiana sighed. She might have guessed what Blade's demand would be. He craved the death of all Cotti royalty, save perhaps Kerrion. She glanced at Kerra, who looked subdued and pensive.

"Very well. When this is over and the Queen safely returned to the palace, I shall hire your former apprentice and send him to kill the Cotti princes."

"Excellent. Have the Queen readied for the journey. I want her hair cut and dyed brown, and she should be dressed in servant's clothes. A boy's clothes."

Kerra's eyes widened in horror. "No! Surely such drastic measures are not necessary?"

"I will decide what is necessary, and you have agreed to abide by my decisions. If you refuse, our agreement is off."

Kerra turned to Chiana and wailed, "Not my hair!"

Chiana cast a pitying glance at the girl, whose long flaxen mane was her pride and joy, brushed and teased into ringlets and adorned with jewelled combs and pins. She shook her head.

"I am sorry, Kerra. It will grow back, and the dye will wash out, will it not, Blade?"

He inclined his head. "Of course. Shoulder length will be short enough, then tie it back as a boy might."

The Queen fingered a bright tress. "I cannot believe I am agreeing to this. You could be wrong about Endor, Lord Conash. He may be different from other Cotti men, just as my father is. He may fall in love with me and become my consort."

"I would not stake my life on it if I was you. Endor is Ronan's younger brother, and he has a mighty grudge against the Jashimari because of his brother's death. Doubtless your attractions will turn most men's heads, but Endor already has a harem that numbers over fifty young girls chosen for their beauty, and he has sired dozens of children."

Kerra's face fell as his words shattered the last of her romantic illusions, and she bit her lip, her eyes growing moist with tears of disappointment and hurt. "Do you think me beautiful, My Lord?"

"I am not one to ask for compliments."

Her face hardened. "You are a cold-hearted man, I think. And I demand that you call me your Queen at least once before we leave."

"I will accord you the title when you deserve it, and not before."

Kerra's mouth tightened into a grim line, and she bestowed a furious glare upon him before spinning in a swirl of satin skirts and bouncing ringlets. She marched to the door, yanked it open with unwonted force and slammed it behind her so hard that it rattled the frame.

Chiana rose and went to the table to pour herself some wine, using the ploy to get close to her husband. He eyed her, and she cast him a sad smile.

"You would be well advised not to aggravate her too much. The more you annoy her, the more difficult she will become."