Authors: Anne Marie Lutz

Sword of Jashan (Book 2) (40 page)

“Tell me you have not let him name you Lord Mage,” Kirian snapped as she let the door close behind her.

Callo sighed. “Not quite, my love. I suppose I am—temporary Lord Mage.”

Kirian stayed on the other side of the room. She knew if she went to him, her anger would be lost—and she felt she deserved her anger. “How could you?” she said. “You will let him bind you! After all you have fought against, for all this time?”

Callo raised a hand. “No binding,” he said. “Ander has agreed to that, though the Council is unaware of that little stipulation. The mages who will do the real day to day work of a Lord Mage are bound. They were in here a moment ago, promising me they would spare me all they could.”

Kirian calmed down a little. “Well,” she said. “That is good.” She let her shoulders relax. “No binding?” she asked again.

“No binding.”

“What will you do?” Kirian asked. “I thought we could go somewhere together, and rest for a while. I know you are weary to death of all this violence, and I would like a little time in a normal place for once.”

“Ah, I am. I hope you will stay with me while I fulfill Ander’s wishes, dear one. But if you cannot—” Callo shrugged. “Then I will escort you anywhere you choose, somewhere where you can be happy and still able to fulfill your Healer’s Oath, and I will come to you after my task is done.”

Kirian said, “I would like that, if you came to me.” She went to him and sank down on the chair next to his, and held out her hand. “I was angry. I thought they had dragged you into their ridiculous intrigues again.”

Callo shook his head. “You know, I think Ander will make a truly good King. Once he is a little grown, and if he has someone to guide him who is not power-mad.”

“And that is you?”

“For a while.” Callo sat up straighter. “The Council meeting was odd. All these people who once wished me dead—even Lady Dria Mar, who commanded me not a sennight ago to run as fast as I could after Sharpeyes was dead, because she would hunt me down—they all want a brake on the schemes of the power-hungry. I believe they were all terrified of Sharpeyes, and want no more of the same. Yet they want a strong King, too. So I am a sort of mentor, I suppose.”

“Ander is in agreement with this?”

Callo nodded. “As long as I continue to acknowledge his rightful Kingship. He is going out on a limb for me here, and for the Sword of Jashan who helped save him—to have me there, next in line for the throne, and unbound so I have no restraint on me.”

“He is,” Kirian said. “A lesson from Sharpeyes for everyone, about the dangers of unbridled mania for power. Do you think that is what did it?”

“I don’t know.”

“If Ander doesn’t know by now how you feel about power, he must be blind,” Kirian said. “He knows you are no danger to his throne.”

“Also, I do this for the Sword of Jashan. I swore to Hira Noh I would get them a voice on the Council. But the Council would not hear of it, rebels in their ranks, unless I stayed. They think I will be able to calm their wildness.” He grimaced. “I should have seen that coming. They are frightened to death of the Sword of Jashan. Gods, most of them have lost property, or even lives to them over the last five years.”

Kirian grinned. “Can you see Rhin, sitting next to Lady Dria Mar at Council? I would like to see that.”

“If it will entertain you, I will arrange it.” Callo smiled, then quirked his eyebrows. “They are all temporarily much in debt to me, and will grant me what favors I ask.”

Kirian snorted. “As long as you realize, that
is
temporary.”

“Oh, yes. I have lived in Sugetre long enough to know that.”

Kirian abandoned her elegant but uncomfortable chair and sank to the floor, where she could lean against Callo’s legs as he sat in his chair. His long fingers began stroking her hair. Callo continued. “Ander has his work cut out for him. The Ha’lasi refugees under the ku’an Jol’tan have taken over Fortress Mount. Most of the refugees are just desperate for food, but there have been clashes here and there between them and the settlements of the coast and western plains.”

“Lord Dionar will cope with that,” Kirian said. “Won’t he?”

“Lord Dionar is still in shock over the violent death of his liege. Ander has promoted Balan ran Gesset to a position of authority, and it is likely Balan who will deal with the Ha’lasi. And some young brat named Froman, whose father I remember from my days here before.”

“Not you,” Kirian said. “Do not say it is you who will help as well.”

Callo shrugged. “If I am needed. And if you permit it, love. I have dragged you around with me too long, and it is time I listened to which direction you want to go.”

Kirian felt a tear crawl down her cheek. Surprised, she wiped it away. Callo caught her hand and kissed the back of it.

“I haven’t had any time to consider where I want to go,” she said. “Ever since I met you, we have been racing around like squirrels. There has been no time to think.”

Callo laughed. It was a real laugh, and Kirian felt her tension ease away. “Do not tell Hira Noh and her people we are like squirrels, or we will not hear the end of it.”

“You know what I mean.” She cradled his hand against her cheek. “So you are to remain here, love, at least for now. As an unofficial Lord Mage?”

“That is it. And then we go where you will.”

“You do not know how to do any of the magery,” Kirian said. “Surely they will figure out before too long you are unsuited to be a Lord Mage.”

“I believe they already know this.”

“Here, stand up.” She rose and took Callo’s arm, pulled him to his feet. He stood before her, beautiful with his amber eyes lit by the daylight, arrayed in his
righ
finery, as unlike her as day to night. His smile was a little uncertain as she continued to look at him without speaking.

Then he said, “Kirian, love, you worry me. Are you about to say you have had enough of me? Because if so . . .”

“No, you idiot, I am not going to say that!” She stood on her toes and kissed him. He leaned into it, closing his eyes, his arms enclosing her. Then she grinned into the kiss, and he pulled away, grinning himself.

“It is not usually good to show your teeth when kissing your lover,” he said. “Are you laughing at me, Kirian?”

“Yes!” she said. “I plan to laugh at you a lot during the next while, Lord Mage. It will balance the sycophants you will be surrounded by.”

“Ah, that is only brief, until they remember my scandalous illegitimacy and my distaste for power. But Kirian? Will you answer my question? Where is it you would like to go, after my duty is done?”

“I have not yet decided,” Kirian said. “It will probably be somewhere uncomfortable, healing people with no food or comforts, and you will have to forego your
righ
luxuries and live like a nomad on the Plains.”

“All right,” he said. “If that is what you wish.”

“Until then,” she said, “I will follow your lead until it is time for you to follow
my
lead. Is that well with you, my lord?”

“It is,” Callo said. His voice was suspiciously thick as he held her close. “Ah, Kirian, I am glad you will not leave me.”

“Never,” she said. “You are mine, and all the gods know it.”

Someone knocked on the door. She let go of him, and then he let go of her. Kirian saw him take a deep breath and straighten as the knock came again. There was a stray curl of color magery that sparked in his eyes as he looked toward the door and said, “Come in!”

Author Information

Anne Marie has always loved reading (and writing!), especially in the genres of science fiction and fantasy. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and an MBA, both from the Ohio State University. She has worked as an office manager, an operations analyst and more recently at home raising her children.

Anne Marie enjoys reading, spending time with friends and family, and traveling when she can.

Anne Marie was raised in the Youngstown area. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and their two children.

Publisher Information