Healer (Brotherhood of the Throne Book 2) (16 page)

They had no reason to linger so they left the hut. Brenna took one look back over her shoulder. The door was cracked open and she could see Madelay peering out at them. We’ll come get you, Brenna promised.

They made their way back past the gate, where the guards noted their passage, and back to the Iron Demon. Once in the kitchen Leila whirled on her.

“You never said yer ma was a witch,” she said. “I’d never have let ye in the door if I’d known.”

“I know.” Brenna started taking the small bundles out of the basket. “I learned not to tell long ago.” She looked up and met Leila’s glare steadily. Eventually the other woman looked away.

“I’m just tryin’ to look after me and mine.”

“As am I,” Brenna said as Leila left the kitchen. She heard the door from the yard open and Yowan entered, a worried look on his face, followed by Kane.

“It’s her,” Brenna said. Yowan’s face crumpled at her words. “It’s Madelay.” She took two steps and then his arms came around her and she held her grandfather as he quietly sobbed into her hair.

“Shhh, we can’t be too obvious.” Brenna smiled and looked over his shoulder at Kane. “Leila already knows I lied to her. She heard me tell Madelay my mother was a healer.”

Kane nodded. “After you told her she worked for a spice merchant. Yowan,” he placed a hand on his shoulder. “You and I need to look in on the horses. Brenna, meet us there as soon as you can.” Brenna gently withdrew from Yowan and Kane led him out the door.

Kane sat on a bale of hay just inside the door to the stall that housed Runner and Blaze. A few steps away Yowan poured water over his head, letting the water flow into a trough. He shook his head, sending droplets flying. The two horses backed away from the spray before they settled down again. Kane threw Yowan a cloth to dry off with.

“Thanks,” Yowan wiped his face, “though this smells a bit like horse.”

“We’re in a stable,” Kane said. “I didn’t know you were going to wet yourself down.”

Yowan tossed the wet cloth onto the hay bale. “I can’t believe Brenna’s found my Mad. When I first heard she was alive I didn’t trust myself to hope again, but now that she’s seen her, I want to go haring off after her right now.”

“As would I if it was Brenna.” If it was Brenna he’d have been out the door the minute she’d been confirmed. And probably caught a short time after that. “We’ll get her, Yowan, we’ll get her.” He felt a tug on old steel, Brenna telling him she was close.

“I know,” Yowan said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever met any two people as determined as Brenna and you.”

“What about me and Kane?” Brenna asked as she stepped into the stall. She took a few steps to Blaze’s side and petted her before turning back to the two men.

“Yowan was just saying we two are very determined,” Kane said.

“Is that a kind way of saying stubborn?” Brenna walked over to the hay bale and sat down beside him. He edged over a little, making room.

“I’m not sure,” Kane said. “Yowan?”

“Stubborn, determined, call it what you want as long as it gets my Mad free.”

“That’s what we’re going to do,” Kane said. “Brenna, I need to know everything. Where she is, what kinds of guards are around, everything.”

It took Brenna less than half an hour to detail her morning outing. Kane didn’t like the fact that Madelay was outside the town walls. Could they turn that that into an advantage? Brenna left for the kitchen - she had to cook the new meal for the councilmen – while Kane and Yowan would spend the afternoon in Blackwall. They needed to add to Brenna’s information and look at all the other places where guards patrolled.

Kane pulled his hat low over his eyes. The sun was warm on his hands but this high in the mountains the air was still cool, even in the middle of the afternoon. He nodded slightly to Yowan, who wandered over to the gate and waved a guard over. As Yowan drew the guard into a conversation, Kane studied both him and the other guard. Neither man was familiar but they both looked to be about ten years older than he was. If they’d served in the Kingsguard under his uncle they still might recognize him.

The guard Yowan spoke with shook his head and pointed at a building opposite Kane before going back to his post. Kane gave Yowan a ten minute lead before leaving his spot in the sun to join him at their rendezvous.

“We can get you into the mine area,” Yowan said.

Kane leaned on the rail beside him. They were in the marketplace - the pens were empty this soon after the caravans had left.

“But I don’t like your chances of getting away from the guards,” Yowan continued. “Seems they have so many indentured in the mines that they guard everyone the same. And they’re none too choosy about who they take into the mines, either.” Yowan snorted. “The guard said they’d gladly sign me up if I was desperate enough - though they might pay me less wages than a younger man, depending on what I was able to do.”

“And since they’d be the judge, my guess is you’d get half pay for full work.” Kane looked out onto the market square. The more he understood how thoroughly Duke Thorold had perverted the laws of Soule the angrier he became.

“And like as not work me to death on those wages.” Yowan frowned. “But the guard talked up the fact the mines have a healer on hand all the time. Always at her hut, except for the times when they can’t get the man down to her without killing him. Sounded like it happened regularly but when I asked him how often a miner was hurt or killed, he stopped talking.”

“Didn’t want to scare you off. He may get a finder’s fee for every warm body he sends to the mines,” Kane said. “I’ll take a look around tonight to see if they put extra guards on and when they change shifts. We should plan for tomorrow.”

fourteen

Tomorrow night, Brenna nodded to herself as she chopped carrots. They’d get Madelay tomorrow night. Kane and Yowan would scout around some more in the morning but unless something seemed amiss they would go tomorrow night.

“Oh Jemma, the stew’s smellin’ fine already.” Leila bustled into the kitchen. “Is there anything else you need?”

The poor woman had been in and out of the room constantly since Brenna had started the stew. She was worried the meal wouldn’t meet the councilmen’s expectations and Brenna couldn’t blame her. They had the power to ruin her, if they chose, and worse - it sounded as though they could indenture her or her parents on a whim.

“I have everything. Don’t worry.” Brenna dumped the cut carrots into the pot and turned to her. “It will be fine. Between the rabbit and what we got from the healer this stew will taste different enough from last nights.”

Leila had sent Huw and his father out early this morning with the promise that if they caught some game for tonight both would eat for a week at the Iron Demon. They’d surprised Brenna with a large rabbit that had just started to fatten up on the new spring grasses. Brenna had cooked it in some butter along with onions and garlic.

“It does smell fine,” Leila repeated.

“Go make sure you have enough ale, Leila.” Brenna steered the woman to the door. “And make sure it’s cooled just right. The stew will be good.”

Once Leila was out the door Brenna sighed and picked up some long, thin wild potatoes. They were last year’s crop - she’d found them in the cold room behind some bottles of preserved blueberries. After a quick wash she cut them up and added them into the stew. In a few minutes she’d put the rabbit in and let it simmer it for the next hour so the flavors could blend and deepen. It would be a very good stew.

Brenna felt for Kane through the old steel - he was at ease, out in the tavern. She stirred the stew again. Leila had taken the first bowls out to the councilmen a few minutes ago and the silence made her nervous.

“They wants more already,” Leila rushed through the door, four empty stew bowls stacked in her hands. She put them down on the table and hugged Brenna tight. “Oh Brenna, thank ye.  I think it’s gonna be fine, they like yer stew so much.”

Brenna started to ladle stew into four more bowls and Leila stacked more of the thick dark bread on a plate along with a pot of butter.

“I’ll be back fer the stew,” she said as she headed out the door with the bread.

Brenna finished filling the bowls and sprinkled each with a pinch of salt and gently stirred each bowl. Leila rushed back and grabbed the bowls, balancing them on her arms with the ease of long years of serving. As she headed out of the kitchen Brenna hoped they stew wasn’t too good - she could have just ruined Leila’s trade by ensuring the councilmen ate every meal at the Iron Demon. And Leila didn’t dare charge them.

Kane stood by the door with his back to the wall. Yowan was across the tavern close to the kitchen. The four councilmen, the same four from the night before, sat back expectantly as Leila put second helpings of stew in front of them. As they dug spoons into the dark fragrant stew Kane’s stomach rumbled, reminding him he hadn’t eaten since the morning. The way they devoured the stew, he wondered if they would leave any. In no time they had finished and two of the men waved Leila over. She hurried off and returned with two more bowls of stew.

“This is a fine stew, Mistress Colley,” the leader said. Minchen, Leila had called him earlier. “How long is this cook of yours going to be around?” Although he spoke to Leila, Minchen’s gaze swiveled over to Kane.

“Jes’ ‘till the next caravan, m’lord.” Leila bowed nervously as she backed up two steps, her eyes darting from Minchen to Kane and back again.

“Is that right, Master Arlott?” Minchen drawled.

“That was our plan.” Kane concentrated on keeping his voice even and calm while he contacted Brenna through his sword. If Minchen decided he didn’t want to part with Brenna’s cooking he wouldn’t hesitate to indenture her - Kane could see that in his eyes. And Brenna would never allow it, not even for a moment.

“Although in my experience plans change,” Kane continued.

“Very wise of you.” Minchen turned his attention back to Leila. “Mistress Colley, I will be dining here every night for the foreseeable future. I trust you understand my desire for variety. Perhaps tomorrow we can have something other than stew? Yes?” Leila’s shoulders drooped but she nodded. “And Mistress Colley, you will let me know if your cook decides to leave. I’ll need to make other arrangements for my meals.” He looked back to Kane.

Kane nodded and stood silently until Minchen and the rest of the councilmen left. He sent a quick message to Brenna through his sword and he and Yowan followed Leila into the kitchen.

“I’m ruined.” Leila sat down on a chair and crossed her arms. “I can feed the councilmen, who won’t pay a penny even as they drive the rest of my trade away, or I can not feed ‘em and they’ll like as not send Da to the mines and Ma and me to cook and clean somewheres.” She looked over at Brenna, Kane and Yowan. “And I knows ye ain’t about to stay here longer’n ye have to. I wouldn’t if it were me.”

Kane felt Brenna’s eyes on him and he shrugged. There was not much they could do for the woman.

“I’m sorry Leila,” Kane said. “I think your only choice is to leave. You’ll end up indentured or worse if you stay here.”

Leila lifted pained eyes to him. “But where would I go?” she asked. “My whole life has been spent here. I don’t know nothin’ other than inn keeping.”

“We know someone who might welcome the help,” Kane said. “Warrick Chennel of the Red Anchor. I think he’d take you on but you’d need to get to Smithin, in Aruntun.”

“Aruntun, that’s full of witches.” As soon as she said it Leila looked over at Brenna. Then she smiled. “But it might be a good thing, that.”

Brenna stepped past Kane, tweaking his sword to let him know that she was now outside. As he closed the door he looked right past her, out into the dark night. Invisible, she trotted down the dark streets, careful not to step in any puddles or loosen any stones. Soon, she stood before the gate, panting in the thin cold air. Only two guards were on the gate - from where she hid in the shadows she could hear them muttering to each other about the cold.

Two hours later she wished she’d worn more clothing herself. Habit had forced her into her thief’s clothes despite her plan to remain invisible the whole evening. The thin black shirt and breeches weren’t much help warding off the chill. Shifting from foot to foot to keep warm, Brenna watched the guards change at midnight. .

For the next two hours the new guards did nothing more than pace back and forth and complain. Brenna backed away from the gate and headed to the shadow of the wall. She would have preferred to watch and wait for a few more days but they had no choice. From what Kane and Leila said there was a very good chance the councilman would try to indenture her in order to secure a good cook for himself.

She trotted back to the inn and gently eased the door open. Yowan looked up from his seat by the fire and she thought she caught a wink as she closed the door and headed slowly up the stairs. Once inside their room she finally dropped her invisibility spell. Kane, chest bare, was propped up in the bed.

“Everything fine?” he asked.

“Fine,” she peeled off her shirt and breeches. “Completely predictable. The guards changed at midnight and they never left the other one alone. Took turns relieving themselves against the wall.” She made a face. “The place must smell like a privy in the summer.” She climbed under the covers with him and laughed when he yelped. “I’m freezing.” She snuggled into his warmth.

“You are freezing, get away from me,” he said. “And watch where you put that ice block you call a foot.”

“I thought you’d want to help warm me up?” Brenna asked.

Kane leaned in to kiss her. “How’s that?” he asked, his voice husky.

“That helps,” she said. “It really does. Now what about my feet?”

Lamplight flickered across the polished council table. Duke Thorold leaned back in his chair. King Mattias was not present - the man could only manage a few hours out of his bed these days and even less time out of his own apartments. That suited Thorold since it allowed him to exercise the powers of his dual roles - senior advisor and father of the heir. Beldyn sat across from him.

At the moment nothing about Beldyn’s appearance looked even slightly royal - not the bored expression on his face, not the drab and rumpled clothing, not the way he slumped down in his chair. That suited Thorold as well. As king, Beldyn would be nothing more than a figure head – he might as well get used to being powerless.

“High Bishop, I trust you are treating the Duchess of Aruntun gently?” High Bishop Valden, who sat to his left, wore a smug, self-satisfied smile.

“Ah, well, the One-God follows his own timing.”

“Valden, I warned you about spilling her blood too soon.” How dare the High Bishop disobey his orders? He needed the Duchess unharmed if he was to have any chance of convincing Duke Ewart to stay neutral.

“Yes, yes. The duchess is fine. I have only questioned her lightly,” Valden said and Thorold sat back in his chair. “But her captain, Neal Ravershaw, has proved most uncooperative,” Valden continued.

Thorold’s anger rose again. “I was very specific about not harming them,” he said softly.

“About the duchess, yes you were very specific,” Valden agreed. “But do not worry. They have been separated since I began questioning them. The duchess and her captain haven’t had any communication with anyone since their refusal to accept the edict.” Valden smiled widely. “This is required in order to help them to commune with the One-God and accept Him into their lives.”

He’d have to find a way of explaining Captain Ravershaw’s absence to Duke Ewart.
He’d tell him Ravershaw had returned to Aruntun to let the duchess’ family know about the charges. And just where was the Duke of Fallad? He’d sent Ewart a message telling him that his presence in Kingsreach was urgently required. Surely there had been enough time for him to send a reply? He wouldn’t willfully ignore a message from
him
would he?

“High Bishop,” Thorold said. “You
must
follow my directions. Our success depends on it.”

High Bishop Valden bowed his head. “Our fate is in the hands of the One-God, as always.”

Thorold’s lips tightened and he balled his hands into fists on the tabletop. He looked way from the High Bishop and directly into the gaze of his son. Beldyn’s glance slid off him but not before his eyes flicked down to his clenched fists.

A sense of unease woke Brenna but she couldn’t identify the source or remember any dreams or visions she may have had during the night. She tried to concentrate, tried to See, but nothing came to her. She stretched across the empty bed, feeling the depression in the mattress Kane had left when he’d risen earlier for his watch. She smiled when she heard the soft snoring from the other bed. She peered over at Yowan. He’d need all the rest he could get, they all did. The gods only knew when they’d get to sleep next, let alone sleep in a bed. It would be cold nights on the hard ground for a while.

Silently, Brenna dressed and pulled out her map of Soule. She looked at the route they’d planned - through a pass and over the Godswall into Fallad. Again she concentrated on Seeing and this time she caught glimpses of blue skies and sunny days - no clouds, no sense of trouble ahead. Her finger traced a path along the map before she rolled it up and put it back in her pack. Muttering under her breath, she spelled her pack invisible, slung it over her shoulder and headed down to the kitchen.

Brenna’s unease turned into apprehension when she entered the tavern and saw Ma and Ox Colley conferring by the bar. By the time she walked into the kitchen to find Polly busy at her baking, she felt dread. She grabbed a mug of tea and a slice of bread but even spread with fresh sweet butter the bread tasted like dust in her mouth.

“Polly, do you know how to make journey bread?” Brenna stepped over to the baker.

“Sure Jemma, it’s easy enough,” Polly said, her hands deep in her dough, kneading.

“We don’t need quite so much soft bread tonight, do you think?” Brenna felt some of her dread ease slightly. “Leila said she expected her trade was ruined and we’ve not had one person in here this morning looking for bread and cheese, have we?”

“No lass, we’ve not.” Polly stopped and looked at Brenna. “What do ye have in mind?”

“I think something very bad might happen today,” Brenna said. She met the other woman’s gaze. “And I think it would be best if we had travel rations ready to go.”

Polly studied Brenna’s face for a few seconds, then nodded.

“It won’t hurt, is what I’m thinkin’,” Polly agreed. “Easy enough to change this to a travellin’ bread. There’s plenty of cheese in the cold room as well as meat dried with berries. That should do fine.” Polly went back to her bread. “Even if none of us is travellin’ it won’t hurt to have extra food stored up.”

Brenna was wrapping the last of the cheese in oiled cloths she’d found when Leila finally showed up. She looked tired when she put a large basket on the table.