A Darkness Unleashed (Book 2) (14 page)

The duke scratched his balding head. “I have a company of Royal Engineers stationed here who would love nothing better than the challenge.” He waved one hand as if shooing away the issue. “They have not had a good project to tackle in far too long. Captain Ranier is their commander and quite the stonemason. He will greet you on the grounds tomorrow following the departure of our force.”

As Maddi left the study, her heart bounced between joy at remaining with Tanya and despair at being separated from Tallen again. His warm hand clasped hers, and she gripped it back, though she watched the stairs pass under her feet. A dozen angry things passed through her mind, but at the thought of his hurt expression made her throw each one away.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his fingers twined with hers. “I want you with…us…more than anything, but I want you to be safe, too.”

“I can take care of myself,” she snapped, a flare of anger brushing her temples. “I seem to remember taking care of you a few times as well.”

Tallen stammered, his eyes swiveling toward Dorias.

The torchlight showing wrinkles on his face, the wizard pulled on his goatee as they descended the stairwell of the citadel tower. “Maddi, believe me when I say this has much more to do with the duke wanting you to build his hospital than whether or not you would be safe…” He folded his hands behind his back. “…or dare I say necessary on our westward journey.”

“We all three insisted you come with us,” Tomas added, “but the duke stood firm.” The paladin shrugged. “And this is his Realm.”

Their words made sense to Maddi, but it made no difference to the anger in her heart. She looked again at Tallen, whose pale face held a sorrowful droop.
I have to remember where to focus my anger, and right now, the duke will get it. I can’t be mad at Tallen.

Maddi squeezed his hand. “I understand. I will build the flaming thing, and then I’m coming after you.” She bumped his shoulder with hers. “I have no doubt you’ll need saving before long.”

A faint smile crept into his wan expression. “No doubt.”

T
he long line of horses stamped against the cold, hard ground. A light snow had fallen overnight, and twenty thousand hooves shuffled clear a wide path in front of the Bearsgate. Maddi pulled her hood closer against the wind, as did Tanya and Ami behind her. From deep in her cowl, she looked up at Tallen, who sat in Stew’s saddle, his shoulders hunched and his head low.
He looks so much more proud when he rides straight. At least he’s making it clear how much he will miss me. As if he didn’t last night…

A smile pulled at one corner of her mouth, despite her somber mood.

“Keep the muster going, my son.” Duke Aginor spoke from his thick destrier. Doran Varlan listened to his father, not far from where Maddi stood. “The king is on his way. You are to greet him as I would, then remain to hold Gavanor. I will send dispatches as often as possible.”

His son nodded, a nervous fidget in his stance. The duke signaled to an officer, and a call went down the column of green-cloaked men, spotted with companies in red, black, and midnight blue. The formation lurched forward, the clatter of armor and horse echoing off the wide city wall. Their banners took wind, those of the duke and the barons at the front. Over all of them hung the silver dragon on Gannonite blue.

Tallen followed Tomas, Dorias, and Gwelan toward the head of the column. But at the last moment, he spurred over toward Maddi, and held out his hand one last time. She grabbed it, able to feel his warmth even through her soft doeskin and his hard riding gloves.

“I…I will miss you,” he whispered, his voice and face tight.

“Of course you will,” she said with a sniff. He grinned, but more words hung at the back of her throat. She forced them out. “I will join you as soon as I can.”

He shook his head. “Only if we are still in the Free Cities. Please don’t come out into the Wastes alone. I will contact you before we leave.” His face filled with fear. “Please, Maddi. Tomas and Dorias would not do it alone.”

She scoffed. “I’m not stupid.”

A flash of relief eased his expression, and he squeezed her hand one last time before reining Stew back toward the line of cavalry. “I will write you as soon as I can slip a letter in with the messengers.”

She let his hand go. Her heart shattered and fell into her stomach. She swept the pieces behind the mask of calm on her face. “Goodbye, Tallen.”

He waved at her, and then spurred his horse to join the others. Merl swung out of the sky, fluttered past her, then landed on Tallen’s shoulder to warble in his ear.

Maddi stood there watching until she could no longer pick the tall apprentice wizard from the mass of cavalry. She sighed, burying her sadness deep down. The sorrow fought back, threatening tears, but she forced them away when Tanya reached up to take her hand.

“I’ll miss him too, Maddi,” the little girl whispered. “But I’m glad you’re staying here with me.”

Sniffing, Maddi gave her a smile. “Me too, Tanya.”

Ami took the girl’s other hand, her white hair shining in the morning sun. “Come along, Tanya. It’s time for your lessons. Maddi has a lot of work to do today.”

Ami thinks I’m doing the right thing. Why am I the only one who doesn’t?

She said a quiet goodbye and watched the other two disappear into the press of people reentering the city. Long faces abounded.
Most of them are women, just like me, I guess…saying goodbye to a man they don’t know for certain they will see again.
Maddi watched the children, many with tears streaming down their faces in dirty streaks.
At least I don’t have to worry about that.

A deep voice with a Southern Realm accent called from behind her. “Miss Conaleon?”

Maddi turned to see a Bluecloak officer, a brown fringe along his cloak’s edge.

The man bowed his head. “I am Captain Ranier of the Royal Engineers. I know I was to meet you at the building site, and forgive me if I am too forward, but I recognize you from the duke’s description.” He gave her a scroll bound with the ducal seal. “You’ll find a few last requests from His Grace, as well as a letter of credit from the Emerald Bank. They will finance the project from the duke’s treasury.” Ranier gestured toward the gate where Maddi no longer saw Tanya or Ami. “If I may escort you to Statuary Park, we can get some initial surveying complete.”

“Thank you, Captain.” She took his politely offered arm and followed, her mind still wandering through a maze of thoughts concerning Tallen and Tanya. “And please, call me Maddi.”

“Yes, ma’am,” the officer replied.

M
addi stared at the parchment plans spread on the block table. Her finger tapped at the cold wood while she thought. Captain Ranier stood at her shoulder. His face looked carved of the same stone he seemed so adept at plying.

“We should go ahead and add the extra four yards.” She felt the certainty congeal in her mind as she said it. “That will mean at least twelve more beds. The Aspects know we could use them.”

Ranier pursed his lips. “Then should I extend the kitchen and mess the same distance? The storage could be useful.”

Maddi sighed and squeezed her throbbing temples. The last week had been busy enough to keep her mind off thoughts of Tallen – mostly. “Go ahead. I think we can afford it. We have plenty of stone.”

The captain passed his hand over the papers on the table. “There are a few other things to be decided.”

Noticing the sun dip behind the western wall, Maddi shook her throbbing head. “No, Captain. The day is through. Send the men home. We will start fresh in the morning.”

“Very well.” He looked at three men stalking up the hill at the edge of Statuary Park. “Though it looks as if our day is not yet finished.”

The men dressed in robes of black and white, while the oldest wore a pendant of the Balance sigil hung on a long silver chain. He stomped right up to Maddi and offered a curt bow. His attendants made no such inclination of their heads. Instead, they glared at her as if she carried dead rats.

“Miss…Conaleon is it?” The priest’s voice creaked with age. “I am Prior Edwyn. I am in charge of the Priory of the Temple in the Western Realm.” He gestured toward the twin curved steeples rising from the city. “I had heard rumor of your Mission before your arrival in Gavanor. The duke’s decision to have you build this…
hospital
…was made without my council.” He offered a thin, obsequious smile. “I can only hope that you might consider hearing the Temple’s advice.”

Captain Ranier stepped up to Maddi’s shoulder. “Welcome, Prior. It is an honor to have you visit our building site. Many of our workers would happily receive your blessing of protection.” He pointed toward the buildings rising about them. “Please take care, as this is not the safest of places to wander unawares.”

The prior lifted one gray, wiry eyebrow. “The Balance guides me, Captain. What guides you?”

Removing his brown stocking cap, Ranier rubbed his head. “I’m from Threeforts, and my family still honors the Waters.”

Prior Edywn scoffed. “Paganism is still deemed as the error of innocents.” He squinted at Maddi, his eyes yellowed with age. “And you Miss…you were the one called
Lifegiver
in Daynon, yes? Another pagan title. You are from the Free Cities, Dern if I’m not mistaken. I assume you do not follow the Balance either?”

Maddi paused. She looked behind the prior at the two men with him. Both had a callused right hand and the carriage of fighters, not priests. The prior himself looked to be what he claimed.
But he’s not here just to talk religion.

She cleared her throat. “I follow many paths, Prior, none too strictly.”

The priest pursed his lips. A white speck of spittle hung at one corner. “No doubt. Then perhaps you would consider my desire to have a new Temple of Balance built here on the hospital grounds – a place for the sick and suffering to seek spiritual healing and guidance, as well as physical.”

Pulling a sheet of paper from the bottom of the stack, she held it up for the prior to see. “We have plans for a chapel. I designed it to be similar to the one on the grounds of the Doctor’s College where I learned healing. It will be dedicated to all five Aspects and to the Balance as well.”

Prior Edwyn gave the plans a cursory glance. “That is not exactly what I had in mind, my child.” He shifted the black and white twist of rope around his thin belly. “We are aware that the duke granted significant monies toward the building of this structure. The duke is an adherent of the Balance. I am certain he would want a more…respectful portion of the funds to go toward a temple dedicated solely to the Balance.”

Maddi feigned an ignorant frown. “His Grace gave me no such instructions.” She looked to Ranier. “Did he tell you?”

His eyes never leaving the prior, the captain of engineers shook his head. “No. His Grace did not. And the instructions he did give were very explicit. The Lady Doctor is to direct this project.”

A glare of righteous anger flashed from the prior at Ranier. “I have no doubt that I am more in tune than you with His Grace’s spiritual opinions, not to mention those of his people.” He calmed his face, but the two men behind him maintained icy glares. “Miss Conaleon. I appeal to you as one who obviously cares for the people. Will you not consider my request?”

She scanned the site and the few people who had stopped to listen to their conversation. Maddi gave another look at the chapel plans. “We are almost to the limit of our budget, Prior Edwyn. If I were to invest any more in the building of a temple, especially a grand one, I would have to reduce the number of beds in the sick rooms. I don’t want that.” She lifted a finger in sudden thought. “However, if the Temple could provide additional funding itself…”

The prior gasped in indignation and placed hands on his hips. “The Temple does not have such large sums at its disposal.”

“You’d never think it from the collections I’ve seen on feastdays,” Ranier whispered in her ear.

Maddi forced the smile away from her lips. “Then I guess we have to go with the more affordable choice.” She let the grin touch her mouth. “Thank you, though, Prior Edwyn, for your very worthy advice. Now, if you don’t mind, we have a great deal of work to do for the people of Gavanor, and precious little time in which to do it.”