Trial of Fire (12 page)

‘Especially now? You know she married without her father’s consent; without the consent of her family. This is not the Malachi way. We could have a priest annul the marriage for that reason alone. Did she not tell you this?’

A flash of rage whipped through Micah, shocking him with its intensity. He gripped the side of the table and shoved hard, pushing it into Gilbert’s thighs, making the other man stumble back. He didn’t bother doing more; he knew he was powerless against sorcery.

Gilbert raised his hands in supplication, his expression filled with genuine regret. ‘Come, Micah, I never meant to suggest that we
would
do that, only that we could. Surely Sairead mentioned our laws.’

For a moment, Micah couldn’t bring himself to speak. Then that damned voice whispered in the back of his mind again, and he took in a deep breath, allowing the anger to flow away into the night. Calm now, he met Gilbert’s gaze. ‘If you mean to control me by using my wife against me, then you are not the man you claim to be. You are not a man I would deal with and your threats will not keep Sairead from me. I
will
see her. I will know that she is well, that she is—’

The door opened. In the frame stood Sairead herself, her face still and white, her fine brows frowning at him. Before she entered, she glanced at her uncle. At his nod, she moved towards Micah, but still she said nothing.

Instead, it was Gilbert who spoke. ‘No child does well not knowing his own father. You may have a few minutes only. When Douglas comes back to look for you, he must only find my niece here. I had a man follow Kenrick to the crossroads. He will let us know if the King returns, though I doubt that will happen. You and I will wait a little distance away, for safety. This area is already too busy for my liking. Hopefully, Douglas will arrive soon. We are running out of time.’

Micah heard the words, but didn’t bother registering the meaning. All that concerned him was the fact that she was standing there, waiting for Gilbert to walk to the door, go outside and close it behind him.

The ensuing silence was broken only by the crackle of the fire and the damp logs he’d thrown on earlier to warm the cottage. Sairead simply watched him, as though she feared he might disappear. Even so, she made no move to come closer. She had not forgiven him.

‘You are pale,’ Micah began, his voice catching. ‘Are you eating properly?’

‘Yes. Of course.’ Sairead looked away, as though enough had changed in the cottage over the last two weeks to make it worth her attention.

They’d been married almost seven years. They’d given their vows in secret and shared a few fractured, stolen moments together in all that time, because he served the Salti and Robert, and she was of the Malachi, a D’Azzir trained for combat. They were on opposite sides of the centuries-old war between their people – and he’d never told her that he was also working with her own uncle.

For all the years they’d been together, they’d kept their lives completely separate. Never had they asked questions of each other, nor demanded the other change sides, or make some decision that would alter that balance. And still Micah had betrayed her.

He knew. He could see it in her eyes. It was the same thing he’d seen in Robert’s eyes at Shan Moss.

He could have prayed for hope, but even that was beyond him now. If he lost her because of this …

‘Don’t hate me, please,’ he whispered. ‘I couldn’t tell you. Can’t you see that?’

‘No, Micah, I can’t.’ She met his gaze then, her left hand unconsciously going to her belly. He could see the smallest swelling there.

‘Please,’ he whispered again, moving to stand close to her. His hand reached up to her shoulder, needing to touch her, to regain his own balance. ‘I love you, you know that. I’m sorry.’

Was this how Robert had felt when he’d had to turn his back on Jenn? Was this how he’d felt when, time and again, he’d had to step back from saving his country because he’d made a promise? He didn’t need to answer the question. He already knew.

Sairead was watching him, her crystal blue eyes regarding him solemnly. On instinct, he reached up and soothed back the tangled curls from her forehead, breathing deeply of her scent at the same time. He studied the strands of hair as they filtered through his fingers, each moment making him calmer, making him as certain as he’d ever been that this was indeed the right path to take.

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers, gently, asking, rather than taking. After a moment, she responded, a reply, no more. But in that was the core of forgiveness.

When he looked at her again, she was just as solemn – but for them both this time. ‘Do you need to lie to me again?’ she asked levelly.

‘I don’t know,’ he replied honestly.

She searched his face once more, then asked a question almost without breath, as though it scared her too much to use voice. ‘Am I ever going to be the most important thing in your life? Is our child?’

Micah had to swallow twice to loosen his throat. Even then the words came with difficulty. ‘Yes, my love, I promise you. I promise.’ With that, he reached out and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. She remained stiff in his embrace, but she held him in return. This forgiveness would take time, but at least it would come. He knew that now.

And before he had had his fill of her, Gilbert banged on the door, calling out that it was time to go. As Sairead began to pull away, Micah pressed one last kiss to her cheek before he fled.

For the second night’s camp, Finnlay chose a wooded slope where water ran clear at the bottom of the hill. By the time fires were lit and supper started, the camp was well developed, scouts posted and horses brushed and watered. With so many people, Finnlay was glad of Martha’s ability to organise. Without her, so much would have been forgotten, making the journey both frightening
and
uncomfortable. They were in a hurry to cross the country, but Robert needed to rest too.

With a few words, he sent Andrew and Guy down to the stream to draw water, then wandered over to where Jenn sat with Robert, a little distanced from the main camp. Robert said it was for safety, that he had no idea what the Key/Calyx might do.

Finnlay knew better.

Jenn had lit a fire, small, but with enough warmth to draw the damp from the night air. She had Robert’s blankets laid out, and a bowl of something by her side. Robert sat on the ground and Jenn knelt behind him. With the gentlest hands, she dipped a cloth in the bowl and then dabbed on Robert’s bare back. Even in the flickering light, Finnlay could see his brother trying not to flinch with each touch.

Robert looked up as he approached, but said nothing. Steeling himself, Finnlay walked around until he could see the burns with his own eyes. There was a cluster of them focused around the centre of Robert’s back, red and angry, overshadowing scars from older wounds – in particular, a wound to Robert’s side that appeared awfully new. If that was where Selar had cut him, at the Battle of Shan Moss, almost nine years ago, why had it still not healed – or was there more his dear brother wasn’t telling him?

‘Ouch,’ he murmured on his brother’s behalf, silencing for the moment his darker questions. Jenn didn’t take her eyes from her work. ‘They’re getting worse, aren’t they?’

‘Yes. Arlie’s out now looking for some things for a salve, but really the best solution is for your stubborn brother to stop carrying the damned Key on his back.’

‘I told you,’ Robert grunted as Jenn dabbed one vicious burn after another, ‘I need to be—’

‘Able to move, yes,’ Finnlay finished for him, ‘you said that two days ago, and now you’re almost crippled with it. We have to find another solution. At the rate you’re going, it won’t need Nash to defeat you.’ He sank to the ground, crossed his legs and watched Robert’s face. These days, they looked the same age, an odd feeling. But the Key had done something to both Robert and Jenn, to prevent them ageing the way everyone else did. It was as though the last eight or so years had never happened, at least on the surface.

Robert’s hair was still long, reaching just beyond his shoulders, and still so dark it was almost black, but where Finnlay had a few threads of silver through his, Robert’s was a thick, wavy sable. Even with his forehead beaded with sweat, Robert’s face exuded strength. Level, expressive brows sat above eyes of forest green, below a straight nose and wide mouth which, when smiling, could make a person believe there could be no evil in the world. Six years older than Finnlay, Robert was also the taller; even grown up, he had retained a physical superiority over his younger brother. Finnlay was by no means small, but Robert was bigger, stronger and faster: and it always made Finnlay smile with pride. Robert had never been bested in a fight, though he’d had a few close moments. Finnlay intended to do all he could to ensure that was as close as it would ever get.

But watching as Robert shut his eyes against the pain, Finnlay saw the other reason why his brother slept a little apart from the others. It would do little for morale for them to see Robert so vulnerable. With all the work of moving nineteen people in relative secrecy, Finnlay had paid little attention to how the strain of keeping the Key hidden from Nash was affecting his brother; now he could see it clearly on Robert’s face. The skin, beneath the usual tan, was grey, almost ashen, and there were new rings around Robert’s eyes. When he brought his cup of ale to his mouth, his hand shook a little, making Finnlay frown.

‘Robert?’

‘Mmmn?’

‘Have you slept?’

Finnlay saw Jenn’s gaze dart to him momentarily, before returning to her work. Her lips pressed together into a thin line. ‘He won’t sleep,’ she said quietly.

‘I would love to sleep,’ Robert said in his own defence. ‘I just can’t risk it.’

‘Oh.’ Finnlay sat back and folded his arms. ‘And how long can you go without any sleep at all?’

Robert sighed, making Finnlay feel just a little guilty for giving him the usual arguments. ‘Finn, what choice do I have? I have to keep the mask going or Nash will sense the Key and know where we’re going.’

‘But he’s still, what, three days away?’

‘Perhaps. I can’t Seek to find out and even if I could, I’m not sure I’d find him.’

‘Not even now?’

‘No, not even now. He only found me at the Enclave because the Key and Calyx … well, pushed me out there, I guess. I can’t think of another way to put it.’

Finnlay rolled his eyes and was rewarded with a quick smile from Jenn. ‘So, if the Key isn’t pushing you out there, you don’t think Nash can Seek you?’

‘Yes. Or no, depending on how you read that question.’

With a short laugh, Finnlay said, ‘Ah, as pedantic as ever. Tell me, if Nash can’t find you anyway, then the mask is only for the Key, right?’

‘Of course. It was always only for the Key.’ Robert opened his eyes then and fixed Finnlay in his gaze. It was only then that Finnlay saw the full extent of the strain on his brother. He’d said the mask would hold for a couple of days; now it had been almost three. Once again, Robert was holding to his word from sheer determination alone, and such determination was likely to get him killed.

‘How much longer until we are where we’re going?’

‘Another three days perhaps. Possibly four.’

‘Robert!’ Jenn put down her cloth and laid an old, soft blanket over his shoulders. ‘You can’t go without sleep for that long! I won’t allow it.’

‘Nor I, brother,’ Finnlay agreed grimly. ‘We have to find an alternative.’

‘Oh?’ Robert moved so he could face both of them, then carefully sipped his ale again, keeping his back as far from the fire as possible. ‘And who do you suggest should keep the mask going while I rest, eh?’

Finnlay paused at that. Robert was right, as usual, but there had to be an alternative. ‘Do you need to keep the mask going all the time?’

‘I can’t guess when Nash might try to Seek for the Key. Without the mask, he
will
find it.’

‘But there’s a chance he’d be asleep at night as well, right? I mean, surely there’s a few hours you can get a little rest.’

Jenn reached out and put her hand on Robert’s arm. Even in the flickering firelight, Finnlay could see the effect that one touch had on his brother. Almost instantly, Robert stilled. His gaze drifted down to where her hand rested. A moment later, his eyes darted up to meet hers. There was a flash of a smile and then he was looking at Finnlay again as though nothing had happened.

‘Finn, there’s too much at stake for me to release the mask for even a moment. Don’t worry, I can hold it until we get to our destination. If I can
hold it that long, it won’t matter if I’m not strong enough to fight Nash – he won’t be there.’

‘Fine,’ Jenn nodded, ‘in that case, you’d better tell us where we’re going.’

Robert leaned his head back, stretching out his neck. ‘We’re going somewhere safe. Much closer than Bleakstone.’

‘And if you become incapacitated?’ Finnlay asked archly. When would Robert finally begin to trust others?

‘Andrew knows how to find it.’

Finnlay blinked at that. ‘He does?’

‘That’s right,’ and the tiredness flowed into Robert’s voice then as he started to relax. ‘Just tell him I want to go home. He’ll know where to go.’

With that, Robert lay down on his side, his eyes closing, his breathing even and steady, as though he were asleep. Finnlay had seen this before: Robert, though not awake on a superficial level, was completely alert as far as his Senses were concerned. This was as close to sleep as he would get, but at least his body was getting some rest. They would get no more talk out of him that night.

Finnlay got to his feet as Jenn collected her things together. As they headed back to the main camp, Finnlay didn’t have to look hard to see the worry on her face.

‘How bad are the burns?’

Jenn shrugged. ‘There is a part of the Key which heals both of us. That part prevents lasting damage to him, and will help that wound heal quicker – but at the same time, the pain alone would break any normal man.’

‘But as we know, my brother is not …’ He didn’t bother finishing. ‘What about your injuries? How are you feeling now?’