Tahn (27 page)

Vari stepped toward him and put his hands on the younger boy’s shoulders. “We did our job. The rest is up to God and the people.”

But Tam shoved Vari away. “You should have killed him! You saw what they did to the teacher!”

Vari reached for the boy’s arm again, but Tam swung out at him with both fists.

“You could have killed him, but you let him get away! You should have killed him, Vari!” His face was fiery red, but his eyes plainly showed his terror and pain.

Vari grabbed him brusquely and held him close. “Listen to me! I had to fight him. But I’ll never kill unless I have to. Do you hear me? Neither will you! It’s not always going to be this way. We’re going to be safe, you hear me?”

The little boy was still trembling with fists clenched. Finally, he buried his face in Vari’s shirt and cried in his arms. “What about the Dorn?” he choked out between sobs.

“He’ll be okay, Tam. You’ll see.”

“Are you sure? I—I thought he was dead.”

“He’s not dead. Come on and I’ll prove it.”

At the church, Netta waited as her father finished his words to the people and told them to return to their houses. They were not quick to go, though the sky was now darkening. Certain of the townsmen declared their intention of setting a watch outside the church in case the baron’s soldiers returned. Others wanted the nobleman’s favor for attacking the baron directly, in retribution for his misdeeds.

Netta stood against the doorframe, listening to her father speak peace to the people. She wanted to rush down to Tahn and the boys, but Jarel prevented her until they could go down together. When the crowd finally began to depart, Benn Trilett leaned at the rail for a moment, watching. When he turned slowly around to Netta, she thought he looked older than she had ever seen him.

“Love and hate,” Benn said. “They are so closely linked. I think I did not understand until today what power I have had for the baron to be jealous over.”

“He is a fool,” Jarel declared. “He would kill us for something he could gain by goodness.”

“I thank God his blood is not on my hands.”

“Father?” Netta took his hand. “I am sure Mr. Dorn is hurt badly, but I want to see him. Would you meet him?”

“Indeed, child. I would speak to him when he is able.”

They went down together. The craftsman, Tobas, had already removed Tahn’s shackles and Vari and the younger boys were all safely clustered about.

The priest and the devout women he had summoned were nearly finished bathing Tahn’s wounds. A man named Amos Lowe was with them, considering the best way to remove the arrow shafts, starting with the one in his back. Tahn gave a wrenching cry at the touch of it.

“You youngsters may wish to be elsewhere a while,” Amos told them.

But Stuva crossed his arms and sat tight. “We’re not going anywhere.”

Netta walked up and put her arm around the boy just as Tahn cried out again.

“Lady Trilett,” the healer said. “This may become unpleasant.”

“Already it has been that.”

Tahn moaned and tried to roll over.

“Lay still,” the healer told him with a soft voice. “Don’t try to move.”

Tahn opened his eyes and saw the strange man beside him.

“He’s a friend, Tahn,” Vari hurriedly explained.

“You’re in my church,” Netta added, hoping to put him at ease. She was not sure how he might react to strangers in a strange environment.

Tahn turned his eyes toward her. Oh, his face! She wanted to cry. So cut, bruised, and now swollen. “I told you to let me go,” he said between gasping breaths.

“You are not sorry that we couldn’t. Are you?”

He shut his eyes for a moment. “Are you … all … all right?”

She smiled and her eyes misted. Still the Dorn did not think of himself. “Yes,” she answered him. “We are all right.”

“Vari … the little ones?”

“They’re with the Wittleys, Tahn. We’re safe.” Vari touched Tahn’s arm. “I think the healer man will have to cut on you some. Can you make it?”

Tahn only looked up at Netta again. “Please—don’t watch this.”

Vari turned to Stuva. “Take Tam and Doogan, will you, and go with the lady. Keep her company and get some rest.”

The younger boys started to protest, and the healer stopped and looked at them.

Tahn turned his head, struggling to see the boys. Every movement hurt him. “Go on,” he told them. “Do … what … you’re told.”

“Yes, sir,” Stuva answered. “I’m glad we found you, sir.”

“I’m … glad I … found you.”

Netta could see the surprise in their faces. The Dorn had never said anything like that before. All three of the boys stood up.

“Come with me,” she told them. “Father?”

She had expected Bennamin to step out with her and meet the Dorn at some easier time. But he sat on the floor beside Vari.

“I wish to stay,” he said. “You go on, Netta. Get them something to eat.”

Tahn looked for the source of the strange voice.

“It’s the lady’s father,” Vari told him.

He could not help but smile.
A Trilett. Alive. God be praised!

“Don’t move now,” Amos told him. With his sharp blade, he started cutting around the arrow point. Tahn cried out again, and Vari took his hand. He squeezed it for a moment as Amos continued, but in his weakness, Tahn could not bear up under the pain. Vari saw him slip from consciousness, and it scared him. “He can’t die,” he told the healer. “The little ones could never take it.”

“I don’t think he’ll die,” Amos said. “Seems like a strong one to me.”

“How bad are the wounds?” Benn asked.

“Enough to keep him down for a good while. Been beaten fiercely. And these arrows didn’t happen today. He’s a lucky one not to have it sore infected.” He gave a grunt as he pulled the arrow tip clear from Tahn’s back. “There’s the nasty thing.”

“When will he wake up again?” Vari asked.

“Can’t say, boy, but rest easy. Best thing is for him to go out as he did. Makes it easier for both of us.” He looked at one of the women. “Rema, take a cloth now and press on that like you’re holding him down to the floor.” As the woman obeyed, he glanced at Benn and then turned his attention to Tahn’s thigh. “Lord Trilett, I’m well thankful to find you alive,” he said. “And I’m honored to be of some service.”

“I am honored to have your help,” Benn told him. “I would thank you to do everything you can for this man.”

“Will you gather men against the baron?” Amos asked. “It would not be hard to find volunteers, and no one would doubt your justification.”

“I just spent a sermon convincing the people that it would be wrong. There would be much spilled blood among them. I don’t want that.”

“But if he comes back?”

“He is a stubborn man. But I believe God that he will not.”

“Did God talk to you?” Vari questioned.

“Through his Word,” Benn told him. “He said he would bless those who bless us and curse those who curse us.”

Vari considered that for a moment and shook his head. “It oughta be that easy. But things just don’t work fair. I know the Dorn’s killed on orders and all of that, but he’s been better than kin to me, sir, and he’s never had much of anything but curse. And look what happened to your family! It wasn’t right! So how do you know it’ll be all right now?”

Benn sighed. “You trust,” he said quietly. “You pray to God, son, and then you have to trust him.”

“I’m not very good at that sometimes.” Vari took a cloth and touched it to Tahn’s cheek where movement had renewed bleeding. “It’s not just the baron I’m concerned about,” he admitted. “It’s Samis. He won’t never stop. Not till we’re all dead.”

“He would kill the younger children?”

“In a minute. And he’d enjoy it too.”

Amos held up the second arrow point.

“Don’t any of you have family, boy?” Benn was asking.

“Temas’s father was alive last she knew, but she’s never going back to him.”

“The rest of you?”

“Duncan’s got Stuva. I guess we all got the Dorn.”

Bennamin looked down at Tahn. What sort of a man was he, to take on such a responsibility? And to win Netta’s trust?

“Soon as he’s well enough to travel,” Vari continued, “we’ll go back for the little ones. The lady knows how to find us at the cave, if you ever need—”

“Young man,” Benn interrupted him. “You expect to live in the cave?”

Vari swallowed hard. Had it been a mistake to tell him that? Maybe it was stupid to trust him so soon. “I … I suppose Tahn’ll be deciding that. When he’s up to it.”

“Then I will have to talk to him.”

Vari nodded.
Oh, Lord,
he prayed in his mind,
you’ve got to help us, please. There’s the baron and Samis. And people knowing where we are. And Tahn looking true awful. But I already promised Tam things’d be okay. You’ve got to come through for us!

He looked up at Bennamin but could not read what he saw in the man’s sober expression. The Trilett patriarch held the bloody dressing on Tahn’s leg while Amos turned to preparing his bandages and herbs.

18

S
amis stopped his horse beside a stream to drink. Onath was the worst fiasco of his life. How could a man be so completely stupid as to set himself up in the Trilett strong-hold that way? Oh, the baron and his good ideas! He should have killed Captain Saud when he came with the message.
Should have killed the baron too,
he thought,
and had it done with. Then I could have lit the night sky with Tahn’s flames. And my men would not have soon forgotten those screams.

He looked over at the two riders with him. They had hidden with him at Onath and watched the debacle. Now they were both strangely silent.

“Lucas,” he called. “Go to Linesk where the others will be gathering. Tell them to meet me at the ruins outside Jura. The baron’s ignorance is not ours. We will not be letting Tahn escape us.”

Lucas looked at him. “It would appear safer to let it go, sir,” he said.

“You dare to question me?” Samis roared.

“He’s charmed,” said Dothe, the second rider.

“He’s a traitor! And he’s injured. Are you such cowards?” Samis was fuming. If these two dared question him to his face, what might the others be thinking? The walls of his power were crumbling once more. He could feel the furious pounding of his heart in his chest, and it was giving him a headache. Perhaps he should teach these two a lesson on the spot. He put his hand on his sword.

But Lucas saw his action. “My lord,” he said, “when shall I tell them you will be at Jura?”

“It will be daylight. I will go first to the baron and teach him the consequences of the trouble he has caused me.”

“Is there anything else?”

“No! Just go and make sure they do what I say. Mattius is watching the church. He will know if they leave. Getting to Tahn will be a simple matter when the crowd is not assembled. We should have set fire to the church before, instead of just the rectory.”

Lucas looked down at the ground. Had Samis forgotten? Hadn’t Tahn been ordered to burn the rectory? It was still standing. Surely the church would have been, too.

“Go on!” Samis ordered him, and Lucas obeyed. The mercenary leader then turned to Dothe. “You will come with me,” he said. “We will visit the baron.”

Dothe was yards away, across the flowing stream. “He will have men guarding the gate.”

“Of course he will. And we shall tell them we have a brilliant plan for his ears.”

“Have we?”

The question set off Samis’s anger again. “Of course we do, you idiot! We will kill him and take care of the Dorn ourselves!”

“Sir—”

Samis scowled at the young warrior and spat on the ground. “If you wish to argue, you may as well step from your horse and face me now.”

Dothe met his gaze. “It’s over. That’s why you hate the Dorn so much. Chase me down if you think you can. You’ve no arrows to take me with.” He spurred his sleek horse and disappeared into the trees.

Samis spat again and cursed. Almost he began pursuit, but he thought better of it. No one could run or stay hidden for long. Dothe could be dragged out at a more convenient time. His men would be hearing from Lucas that he had gone to visit the baron. It was a lesson they needed.