Treasure So Rare (Women of Strength Time Travel Trilogy) (18 page)

"Ach, be off with you." But Ulrich knew the truth
in his words.

"Or perhaps Camdork will tire of this pretence and let
Mandrak do his own dirty work."

Ulrich felt a tightening across his shoulders. Quickly, he
looked around them. "By all the saints, silence yourself before you get
both of us killed."

"So is Mandrak's influence so wide he can see and hear
everything?" the pretender asked. "He has your ears attuned to talk
of his misdeeds."

"I bow down before no man."

"Perhaps," the pretender mused, "Mandrak is
not a man. I've heard he's the spawn of the devil. I relish meeting him. I will
stop his threatening these people."

Ulrich backed away from him. "You are a dead man to
speak like that. Be gone."

"Mark my words, I will meet Mandrak. He has to stop
scuttling about at some point. How can you instill fear if you hide away like a
fainthearted maiden?"

"You are mad. You have no idea of what you speak."

"Of course I do. He's a bully, nothing more."

"Yea," Ulrich resumed his seat on the stump.
"Let me remind you of your words when he turns your innards to your
outers."

The pretender merely smiled in the torchlight. "Innards
to outers. I will remember that. Thank you, Ulrich. I bid you good night."

Ulrich remained silent.

As the pretender walked away with a lift in his step, Ulrich
shook his head and muttered a short prayer of protection. One did not make
sport of the sorcerer. If the pretender thought Camdork a murdering beast, he
better hoped he never got his wish to meet Mandrak.

¤¤

Iliana gently placed the last emerald in its square filigree
setting, then carefully attached a pearl to the bottom point, sitting back to
look at the effect of emerald chips and garnets in the lovely delicate brooch.
The piece was quite pleasing to the eye, the gems catching the light and
winking at her. It was not often she had time to create a piece of jewelry, but
she'd awakened early this morning with dreams disturbing her all night long,
and she'd know she needed protection from the evil swirling so heavily about
the keep. Beside the brooch was a smaller replica that she had fashioned for
William. She pulled her mantle about her shoulders, shivering as the wind
whistled through the walls, the draft along the floor making her legs feel like
ice. The month of May was devilishly cold, how could she weather another bitter
season in this cold, drafty place, but what choice was there?

 She straightened from her workbench, rubbing the chill
flesh of her legs. If the chill continued, she would have a fire in her chamber
tonight.

Iliana stared at her life tapestry on the wall, confused by
the scarlet hues the usually golden tapestry had taken upon itself. The
tapestry had been like that for two days, ever since the night she had met
Camdork -- no, she corrected herself -- Erik in the sacred circle.

She thought of him continuously in the intervening days, her
emotions warring between confusion and anger. What if he lied to her and was
practicing his own clever deceit? Could he really be a time traveler? It was
all so confusing. He claimed she had visited his time three years before and
yet she had no recall. She longed for it to be true, because she was beginning
to see the man he could be. But what if what he claimed was merely a sorcerer's
trick? But why would the sorcerer concern himself with her? She healed with
gemstones those who came to her; surely she was no threat to him?

Iliana shivered. Some said Mandrak was even more wicked than
Camdork, and she knew with certainty Camdork had blood on his hands.

And what of Erik? If what he said was true, then when he
left he would help her and William escape this place. He had come here for the
woman he loved. She wished she was that woman.

Iliana could never forget the green gem, the priceless
treasure that was her mission to find. She was selfish to think only of
herself, but now there was William. She could not risk his life. But what if
the way through time did not allow William to pass? He had been born in this
world, while she -- she did not know her roots. Her early life was something
that remained hidden to her own life tapestry.

And how would she find the green gem? It had been three
years or more she searched for a treasure which remained elusive. She had
searched other worlds, other times, but there had been no clues, nothing to
show her efforts were leading her closer. And what if she failed? Would she and
the people in this world disappear?

A knock on her door made Iliana jump. She pressed a hand to
her heart, letting it calm before she called out, "Come."

The door opened and Erik strode inside. "It is a fair
brisk day. Would you care to go riding?"

"Riding?" she asked.

He hesitated. "I assumed you rode. I never thought to
ask you before."

"I ride," she said, laughing at the doubtful look
on his face. "Of course I do. I was surprised when you suddenly show up
and ask me to go riding."

"Come with me," he said, holding out a large hand
invitingly. "Surely it is a good idea if it brought a smile to your
face?"

Without thinking, Iliana rose, placed her hand in his. His
hand closed around hers, gently pulled her closer.

"Where is the little one?" he asked, looking
around the small room.

"Rowenna has care of William today," she said.
"It is laundry day and he amuses himself with the other children in her
care."

"So he is well occupied. Do you have time to come
riding? I am hoping you will say yes."

"Then, yes, I do," she said. "But I must
change."

 "Then please do so." Iliana stared into his eyes,
bright and green, and filled with...kindness?

His brow went up at she continued to stare. "Iliana? Do
I have mud on my face?" he rubbed a hand briskly over his chin stubble.
"Ah, I neglected to shave this morn. I apologize for coming to you a
ruffian with whiskers."

"I do not mind it," she said, clearing her throat.
She was suddenly filled with heat, noticing his attractiveness. She had seen
the same face before, but she had thought of him only as Camdork or the beast,
not as an attractive blond haired, green-eyed man. A man who claimed to have
searched for her through time.

"I am seeing you differently," she said. "I
no longer see him, but now I see you -- Erik."

"And do you remember?" he asked quietly.
"Have you remembered?"

She put up a hand. "No."

Some of the sparkle extinguished in his eyes.

"I am sorry I cannot remember the time of which you
speak." What if she never remembered? What if it was another woman who had
come to him?

"Hopefully it will come in time."

"There are other places in memory I cannot
recall." She looked up at him. "Even the life tapestry has hidden
those times from me."

Erik frowned. "Who controls the life tapestry?"

"I do not know. Each day a new scene is woven."

"And every person has a life tapestry?"

"Yes. Surely you have yours?"

"I am not from this time, remember, so perhaps I do not
have one."

"Sorenta said you have one. Where did she say it would
be found?"

"Under the dragon, though I have no idea where that
might be."

Iliana suddenly grabbed his sleeve. "Quickly, come with
me. There is a wer-dragon tapestry in the great hall. Surely you have seen
it."

She led the way through the tower room, down the stairs and
into the great hall. She stopped in front of the wer-dragon tapestry in the
great hall area.

"I see this each time I sit at this table," he
confirmed, "but I did not think she meant this dragon. There is nothing
here," he added, looking at the wall under the dragon.

"I was certain --" Iliana lifted the heavy
tapestry and stared at the stone wall on which it hung. "I was so certain
this must be the dragon of which she spoke."

"Surely it does not matter if I have a life
tapestry?"

"Of course it is important," she said quickly.
"If you do not have a life tapestry, you are dead." She frowned.
"Or dead inside."

"Iliana," he said gently, turning her to face him.
"I am not from this time. I do not have one because I do not exist
here."

She pressed her lips together, staring at him, ready to tell
him he was wrong, but then she looked around. "We cannot talk of this
now," she whispered.

"Then let us go riding," he said, smiling.

Iliana nodded. "Yes. I must change, and then I will
join you."

¤¤

Ulrich rode behind them as they left the stables. The man
looked as dark and glum as usual, but Erik had to wonder if he were there to
spy on them, or was he there for their protection. As they rode along the edge
of the woods, Erik felt as if they were being watched from within the thick
dark woods. He wondered if Camdork hid in the forest. Erik flexed his arm, the
new skin over the wound feeling slightly stiff. The powder Sorenta had given
him for the arm had healed the flesh quicker than any tonic he had ever seen
before. He had to wonder if Camdork's broken hand had healed as fast.

"Come, Iliana. I do not trust this densely wooded area.
The trees themselves might have ears."

And he urged his horse into a canter, skirting the woods for
the open field. He looked back to make sure she followed, and she too had urged
her horse into a canter. Across the open field they rode, and it had seemed
like forever since he had ridden freely on the back of a good horse. Despite
the fact that it was Camdork's destrier, the animal was a good mount. If he
could find a way to take him back with him, he would. The thought brought a
smile to his face. How to get the animal aboard the
Merry
Maiden
?

They slowed to a brisk walk. Erik turned in the saddle to
see Ulrich trailed them far behind. Unless the man had exceptional hearing,
they should be able to have a private conversation.

"What do you smile about?" she asked curiously.

"When I leave I will take this horse with me. In truth,
it is Camdork's horse, but he's of good stock. I would begin an entire stable
around him, with good sturdy mares." He grinned. "I just wondered how
I would get him aboard my ship."

"You train horses for warfare?" she asked
curiously.

Erik shook his head. "Not for warfare. My brother and I
used to raise horses and sell them to wealthy buyers, when we lived in the
Catskills -- in the Americas. After Darien left, I sold everything and went
back to the sea."

Iliana had a curious light in her eyes and Erik had the
notion she was sizing him up.

"You come from another world and another time,"
she murmured, shaking her head. She met his glance directly, hesitated then
blurted, "I, too, am from another place."

Startled, Erik stopped his mount. "And from where do
you hail?"

"I am not of this place," she said, frowning.
"I don't know where I belong, but I know it is not here."

"And what of William? What of his father?"

Iliana looked at him, her lips pressed tightly together. He
was chagrined to see tears in her eyes.

Pain settled beneath his ribs. "You still love the
boy's father?"

Iliana drew a deep breath, and she tried to smile.
"There is no love," she assured him. "There is no man. I don't
know how I came to be with child." She put her head back proudly. "It
is one of the areas even the tapestry refuses to show me. At times, the
tapestry denies me what I would know about my own life."

Erik frowned. "Or could it be the tapestry shows you
only what you yourself know and remember? If you have no memory of an event, it
does not write it?"

Iliana looked stunned. "I never thought of it like
that. From everything I have experienced, the tapestry writes the story and our
lives are acted out." She shook her head. "In the beginning I
rebelled. I could not believe a tapestry would tell me what my life experience
would be."

"What happened?"

"The first memory I have in this place is a little over
three years ago. I awoke from a terrible fever. Many were reluctant to come to
the keep or work there. They feared a plague or an illness had befallen me.
They feared it would spread and take their lives.

"When I awoke I suffered greatly with confusion. My
memories were swirling inside my head, but nothing was clear to me. I knew I
was Iliana but my life began that day." She bit her lip. "I was told
who I was, and that my only living family, Graziela, lived in the convent. In
truth, I have never met Graziela. About a year and a half later, I fell into
another fever. It lasted seven days, and when I finally recovered from that,
three weeks later I discovered I was with child. I was devastated and afraid. I
considered taking my own life."

It hurt Erik to hear her say that. "And what
changed?" he asked.

"Sorenta told me the child had been made in love, and
he was mine. How could I even think to turn away from my own flesh and blood?
And as I began to feel well again, I drew strength knowing my child was wanted,
even though the memory remained hidden."

 "And you have never recovered your memory of these
times?"

"No. When I look at the life tapestry, it is merely a
swirl of color, a blank slate." She looked behind them at Ulrich, who
still kept a good distance.

"Let us ride further ahead," Erik said, not
willing to take a chance on anyone overhearing them. They rode up a small hill
to the peak, the wind buffeting them gently. As they stood at the top, Erik
looked beyond the hills. "I can see the sea," he said. "Yet my
ship lies east of there." He leaned back in the saddle. "Each day I
wonder did my men manage to free the
Merry Maiden
and sail out to sea."

"They would leave you?" she asked in surprise.

"It is for their safety that they get further from
shore. Camdork does not seem equipped with ships, so that is in our
favor."