Secrets of the Night Special Edition (74 page)

Again, he wondered why. What was the meaning of it all? Was the Goddess telling him something, urging him to return?

Skirting tree stumps, jumping over fallen logs, he kept the horse at the same pace along a certain route, as if some force guided him, telling him which way to go.

Loud squawks, then a scream, jolted him from his thoughts and sent his gaze to a tree branch a short distance ahead. There, a mob of blue jays wheeled, dipped, and dived around an object in the tree, something hidden from his view. Roric trotted his horse closer, across the bracken and fallen leaves, raising himself to see over the birds.

And came face to face with a fairy! Although he knew these tiny creatures resided in the trees--especially on the palace grounds--he'd never seen one this close before, this pretty little girl with a pink dress and golden curls.

Eyes wide with fright, she made shooing motions, as if she could chase the birds away. She looked at him--and blinked. "Roric Gamal?"

After waving his sword in the birds’ direction, he inclined his head, surprised she knew his name. "At your service."

"Major, you must come with me!"

Chapter Twenty-seven

Roric surveyed the tiny creature. "How do you know my name? And what is yours?"

"Zinerva." She sat up straighter. "Radegunda sent me after you."

"The witch!" Fear grabbed his stomach and turned him ice cold. Not Radegunda! He wanted nothing to do with the witch.

"A good witch, major.” She nodded with a smile of assurance.

“There’s no such thing as a good witch.” Sacred shrine! He must stay away from her.

A defiant look crossed her face. “Radegunda is a
good
witch. But sir, we must hurry back to Moytura. The princess--"

"What about her?" He held his breath, his hand clutching the reins.

"She's been captured. She’s going to die tomorrow--"

"No!" A trembling overtook him, but he fought against his panic. He must not surrender to his fear of witchcraft, not if he had to save the princess’s life. He took deep breaths and forced himself to remain calm.

"--unless you and Radegunda can save her."

"Save her--how?" He shook his head, conscious of the passing time. He tapped his shoulder. "Here, ride with me. And tell me where we're going." Radegunda's words came back to haunt him.
Someday you may have need of my magic.

The fairy hopped onto his shoulder with a light plop, her feet dangling over his collarbone, and clutched folds of his cloak. "To Radegunda's, where else? She knows how to save the princess, but she needs your help."

He shuddered. But he'd disregard his fear of the enchantress, make any sacrifice to save Keriam. He dug his heels into the horse's flank, maneuvering his mount through the dense mass of trees, shoving sharp branches out of his way.

Visions of Keriam burning at the stake sent chills raking his body. “How . . . how is she supposed to die?"

"By impalement, major. Please--" Her voice trembled--"please don't let that happen."

"By the Goddess, never!" Terror invaded his body, a fear like nothing he'd ever known. He increased his pace, the scenery blurring past, and guiding the horse past thick trees and bushes, he jumped over tree stumps and boulders.

Zinerva grabbed folds of his cloak. "Major, I know we must hurry, but I'm about to fall off."

"My apologies." He reached and dropped her into his tunic pocket. For safety's sake, he slowed down. In spite of his horror, he sought to fill in the missing information. "How did you know where Radegunda lives?"

Her head peeked up over the top of his pocket. "I visited the princess in her cell this morning, and--"

"Her cell--at the palace?" He pushed a birch branch away.

"No, sir, at the Mag--Mag--"

"Magistrate's Hall."

"Yes, major, I couldn't say that word. She sent me to Radegunda for help.”

They descended a hill now, and he slipped forward, maintaining a careful perch on the horse. He placed his hand at his pocket to make sure Zinerva hadn't fallen out. Satisfied she was secure, he spoke again. "So you went to Radegunda's . . ."

"When I got there, she sent me after you." Zinerva paused, her finger in her mouth. "But I don't know how she knew where you were."

"Witchcraft, no doubt.” He shuddered. “When we reach the city, you must direct me to Radegunda." He must save Keriam. But he still didn't know how. Talmora’s bones!

Despite his nerve-blasting worry, the view of Moytura from a distance soothed him, as always. On a slight, sparsely-wooded hill that overlooked the city, the sorrel trotted down the rocky slope, side-stepping gnarled tree roots, sending rocks tumbling ahead.

The sun was a coral glow sinking below the eastern horizon as they reached the outskirts of the city. Thank the Goddess they were here! Tempted to gallop, Roric kept at a canter for safety's sake, also reluctant to arouse suspicion. The streets were near empty, most of the stores boarded up and only vagrants trudging the dirty streets. Following Zinerva's directions, they reached Radegunda's shop within minutes. By now, the fairy had left his pocket and was firmly ensconced on his shoulder again.

Still mounted on his horse, Roric pounded on the front door.

The door jerked open, and the witch stared at him, as though afraid to believe he'd actually come. Then a smile transformed her face. "Major, thank the Goddess you're here."

"Just tell me what you want! Is it true that the princess–“

"Yes, we'll talk about it shortly. First, take your mount to the stable," she said, indicating the place at the end of the street. "Give the boy there a copper coin, and he'll take good care of your horse. Hurry!”

As if he would linger! Leaving Zinerva behind, Roric rode to the stable. His hands clenched, his heart pounded every step of the way. What did Radegunda have to tell him? He stifled his impatience as he reached the clean and well-tended stable, where he made sure the sorrel had adequate food and water. Then he hurried back to the witch.

Waiting for him by the door, she ushered him inside and led him up the stairs. Inside the apartment, Zinerva was already settled, the fairy sitting on the edge of a table. With one glance, he took in the main room of Radegunda’s residence. Plain and utilitarian, it held two tables, a dresser, and a bed against the wall: a small room that led off to an even smaller kitchen.

She began without preamble, "Now listen to what we're going to do . . ."

* * *

"Eat, major." In the tiny kitchen, Radegunda set a bowl of vegetable soup and oat bread on the table in front of him, followed by a mug of corma. "Won't do fer you to go hungry. You'll need yer strength fer tomorrow." Steam rose from the soup, the aromas of carrots, beans, and coriander wafting through the air. But he couldn't eat.

Earlier, she'd told him how she'd been able to locate him in the forest. By witchcraft, of course! "And that's how I knew you didn't have a saddle," she'd said, nodding to the beautifully-crafted leather saddle in the corner. Grateful to have the accouterment, still he must pay her for it, a further depletion of his dwindling money supply.

More important, she'd explained her plan to save the princess: witchcraft again. Was Radegunda's spell strong enough? If it failed, well, he didn’t want to think about that. No, he corrected, if her spell miscarried, he'd rescue Princess Keriam himself. If he could save her--ah, if only he could--he'd risk eternal damnation, do anything to deliver the princess from that hideous death.

The room darkened, and Radegunda rose to light an oil lamp on the counter, then headed for the main room to light another lamp. The lamps gave off but little light, the rooms remaining in partial darkness. Returning to the kitchen, she pulled out a chair and sat across from him. Zinerva perched on the counter, daintily eating bread crumbs.

Squirming in his chair, Roric shoved the bowl aside. "Not hungry. I wish we could save her tonight."

She shook her head. "Spell won't work tonight. Have to wait 'til tomorrow, no matter how hard the waitin'. Now, eat, major." She dipped a spoon into her bowl, a cautious eye on him.

Sighing, Roric followed her example. "Very well, and I thank you." Although his appetite had left long ago, he saw the sense of the witch's logic; he needed all his strength for tomorrow, and he couldn’t think well on an empty stomach. He dipped his spoon into the soup, not tasting a thing but forcing himself to finish his repast. Then he drained the corma and set the mug down, viewing Zinerva from the corner of his eye. The fairy drank from a thimble, a satisfied smile on her face, and wiped her mouth with the tip of a napkin.

Soon finishing his meal, Roric scraped his chair back and stood to stretch his muscles and clear his head. He clenched and unclenched his hands. What if Radegunda's magic wasn't strong enough? Then he would save Princess Keriam himself, as he had vowed to do.

"You c'n stay here tonight, major," the old woman said, gathering up the dishes and setting them in a large iron tub of soapy water on the kitchen counter.

How could he sleep? Roric headed for the main room and paced back and forth within the cramped space. A short while later, the witch joined him, two blankets clutched in her arms.

"Git some sleep, sir." Setting one blanket aside, Radegunda flipped the other blanket open and stretched it out on the floor. "We have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow."

Roric shook his head. "Can't sleep.”

"Rest then. I'm goin' to bed now, and you'll only keep me awake if you keep pacin' back and forth." She smiled with encouragement. "Things will work out."

He shoved his hair back from his forehead. "A thousand things can go wrong."

"But won't. Have faith in me, Roric Gamal, in my good magic." She turned toward Zinerva, the fairy now hovering above a vase of fragrant hyacinth. "And you, Zinerva, c'n sleep on the table, if you like. You c'n use a pot holder as a mattress and a towel as a blanket. Unless you want to return to the palace?"

The fairy landed on the table with a light tap, her arms stretched out for balance. "No, Radegunda! I want to stay here with you. I want to see the princess tomorrow."

"Good. She'll want to see you, too, after we've saved her," she said with a knowing look in Roric's direction. "Tomorrow, the princess will be free!"

Roric wished he shared Radegunda's confidence.

* * *

"Now stand behind me," Radegunda said to Roric the next morning as crowds gathered by the execution site. The stake! His heart thudded with fear and horror. Sleepless and stiff, he had retrieved his horse from the stable and saddled it shortly after waking. He gripped the reins, his fingernails digging into his palms. On his shoulder, Zinerva clung to his cloak, eyes wide with terror. The trio stood back far from the execution site but close enough to hear the murmurs among the people. Next to a hat shop, Roric waited behind Radegunda. His heart pounded faster, faster, faster. If the witch failed to save the princess, he knew now what he must do. The dagger in his boot! Why hadn’t he thought of that? If Radegunda failed, he’d stab the princess to death, save her from this horrible execution. And then he’d kill himself. He could do it! He’d shove through the crowd and reach the princess before anyone could stop him.

Standing by a chair she'd brought from her apartment, the witch turned and gave him a look of frank appraisal. "No matter what happens, stay right here. Don't move until I tell you."

Roric nodded, loath to take orders but willing to do anything for Keriam’s sake. The sorrel, now well-fed and watered, occasionally nuzzled him, as if to give comfort. He studied the spectators and noted that most of them looked sad, an air of resignation on their faces. They dared not fight the druids or the usurper. Yet here and there he caught defiant expressions, too, dark looks that matched their angry words.

"She brought the plague to our city.”

"No, she’s innocent. If only we could save her! What a horrible way to die!"

“But there is no way we can save her.”

A hush fell over the crowd. Trying to see, Roric craned his neck, forced to stand on his tiptoes. Goddess, he prayed, please help Radegunda save the princess. He caught his breath at this first sight of her after all these moonphases. His heart pounded so fast, as if it would burst from his chest. Clad in a plain brown dress, her unkempt hair--also a dull brown--falling to her shoulders, she was still as lovely as ever. She looked around in all directions, as if hoping to recognize a friend. Sacred shrine, how he loved her! He’d give his life to save her. But before this day was over, they might both lose their lives.

Sentries moved among the hundreds of people, pushing them back, making way for Keriam. Grim-faced, a sentry on either side gripped the princess by the arm and led her from the Magistrate's Hall to the broad courtyard where the stake menaced. Balor followed with a look of smug satisfaction, his scar livid in the sunlight, his dark hair slick and falling to his shoulders. The chief magistrate and three druids came after him, their faces sober and unforgiving. More people had gathered now--thousands, Roric guessed. The sound of weeping was heard throughout the crowd.