Elyon's Hunters, page 12
Shirin motioned for Dina to join her. “Please tell Lady Sábria that I’m personally escorting our guests to Goddess’s Court. Ask her to leave word with you if she would like a full report when I return. Otherwise, I’ll join her in the morning.”
“Yes, Commander.” After saluting the Commander, Dina left to find Sábria and deliver her message.
Looking around, Shirin spotted Subcommander Calit standing near the gates, waiting to see if she was needed. Shirin tilted her head for her to follow and stepped far enough away that Quariss wouldn’t overhear their conversation. “Excellent job getting the archers up there on such short notice.”
Calit inclined her head, “Well, I have to say, Dina’s message took me by surprise, but everyone was true to their training and responded like they should. They’re not all properly turned out since we had to roust quite a few out of bed,” she grinned, “but they all seem to at least have the buttons on their trews buckled and their breastbands in place.”
When Calit first came to the Temple as a newly promoted Subcommander, Shirin had reservations about her ability to lead such a large contingent of Blades. Her quiet demeanor and reserved disposition made it seem as though she wasn’t suited to command a group of assertive, often hard-headed warriors who needed a strong guiding hand.
Calit had been new to the position when Sábria and Shirin had been absent from the Temple when Khaldo and her cronies had bullied Ailith. Shirin had nearly demoted her on the spot, but, to her surprise, even though Sábria had been furious at the Subcommander for bungling that disaster, she’d pointed out that demoting her would be a waste of a valuable lesson. Everyone deserved a second chance to prove they could learn from their mistakes.
After deliberately spending more time than usual with a subordinate, Shirin had discovered a real strength in the woman. She’d mistaken her quiet, almost shy demeanor for weakness. But she’d soon discovered Calit was anything but weak.
Their leadership styles were different, yes, but the Blades respected Calit’s fair way of dealing with problems and her ability to see the bigger picture no matter the circumstance. But it was her quiet good humor Shirin had come to appreciate. She reminded her of Prime Osstendler in many ways—they were both patient until it was time to assert themselves. She’d seen her discipline a Blade one minute and then take that same Blade aside to make sure she understood the reason for it. “Well, thank the Goddess for that. I would have been mortified to have seen undratrews showing behind an open flap or Faylin’s breasts uncontained for all and sundry to see.”
With a rueful glance down at her own well-endowed chest, Calit shrugged, “They can be a hindrance at times, that’s for sure. Anyway, how can I help you, Commander?”
“I need two squads of archers left on the wall for the remainder of the night. I want them rotated out every four candlemarks. Work out a schedule where those on Dawning shift are on the first watch so they get some rest before having to go on shift.”
Calit considered her options. “I’ll put Dawning shift on now and then pull some of the women from Gloaming shift in early. They can work overtime until sunrise. The extra time won’t kill them. It looked like we’d rounded up all the people who came to rescue Xyda from our clutches. Are you expecting more trouble from somewhere?”
The rooftops were cleared, but Shirin glanced up at them anyway. “I don’t know. Call it intuition or just paranoia, but there’s a reason Quariss doesn’t want us to know her name. I can’t help but wonder whether that means she’s a noblewoman from one of the larger northern duchies who practically has an entire army at her disposal.”
“Quariss? Little One? That’s her name?”
Shirin grinned, “Since she refused to give us her name, Sábria provided her with one. Never let it be said our Arch Priestess doesn’t have a sense of humor.” She thought about that and then amended, “Or, perhaps, Sábria’s heart is telling her something I’ve missed. That often happens when I dislike someone or when someone does something to irritate me, only to have Sábria bring them into the fold because the Goddess counts them as one of her own.”
Calit stared at Quariss, who waited at a distance beside Geller with obvious impatience. “How, or rather, why would a northern noble be here in Sarlogne asking about the welfare of a Hunter? How would she even have known Xyda would be here? From what I was told, the shiv she brought in was from White Cliff Temple in the north, and the only reason she brought her here was that the shiv had traveled too far to return her body there. Does that mean Xyda and Quariss are traveling together? A Hunter and a noblewoman?”
“All excellent questions that Xyda will, hopefully, answer in the morning. In the meantime, let’s stay alert, shall we? I want either you, Rahel, or one of the Primes awake and on the allure during the night. And let’s keep the portcullis down tonight. It may be an overabundance of caution, but the little hairs on the back of my neck are tingling, and I always try to pay attention when that happens.”
“Yes, Commander.”
With a sigh, Shirin returned to where the others waited. “Let’s go.” She and the others joined with the Deadnight shift Blades, and together, they escorted their prisoners to the Goddess’s Court.
CHAPTER 10
Sábria returned to her rooms to find Xyda in the same position she’d been in when she’d left to meet Quariss. She took the time to pull off Xyda’s tunic, trews, and stockings, retrieved one of her own nightgowns from her closet, and pulled it over the other woman’s head. People tended to sleep better in night clothes, although not sleeping wasn’t going to be a problem for her Hunter after all the Feney she’d ingested.
A knock sounded on the outer door, and expecting it to be Shirin, she called out, “Come.”
The door opened, and when Shirin didn’t appear in the bedroom, Sábria stepped out to find an uncomfortable Dina standing just inside the door. “Oh, Dina. Sorry, I thought you were Shirin. What can I do for you?” The fact that she’d just seen the guard on duty at the front gate ruled out the possibility that Dina was there for counseling or advice. And even though her door was open any time of the day and night for all of the Blades, it was rare to have one come to her rooms after dark.
“I’m sorry to bother you, My Lady. Commander Shirin asked me to tell you that she personally escorted the prisoners to Goddess’s Court. She said if you’d like her to give you a full report when she returns, just let me know, and I’ll give her the message when she comes through the gate. She said otherwise, she’ll brief you in the morning.”
Sighing, Sábria decided it would be better to know how things had gone at the holding cells before she spoke with Xyda in the morning. That wasn’t a conversation she was looking forward to. Good morning, Xyda. Oh, by the way, I’ve imprisoned your lover and her people for threatening to burn down the Temple. “Please ask her to stop here before she goes to her rooms. Also, ask whoever is on duty in the kitchens tonight to bring up two savory croissants if there are any leftovers from dinner, and if they’re gone, then ask them to use their imagination and send up whatever they have.”
“Yes, My Lady. Would you like that now, or…?”
“In about a candlemark, please. I’m hoping the Commander won’t take too long to get our guests settled in for the night.” When Dina hesitated, Sábria cocked her head. “Was there something else?”
There was very little that bothered Dina. Sábria had known her long enough to know that. Dina was cool in a crisis, quick on the uptake, and kept a sharp eye out for problems among the Blades. There’d been many times when Sábria had checked on the gate guards, only to find Dina in the guardhouse counseling one of the shivs or even a Blade who just needed to talk to someone. Dina didn’t meet Sábria’s gaze. “Nothing, My Lady. I’ll give the message to the Commander when she gets back.”
She turned to leave, and Sábria caught her arm and smiled. “Nice try. What’s bothering you?”
Dina’s concerned look flicked to the bedroom before coming to rest on Sábria’s face. “It’s not my place. My Lady. I’d rather not say.”
All Sábria had to do was raise her brows. Those who’d known her as long as Dina had understood exactly what that meant. She never allowed her people to dodge a question. If she took the time to ask, she expected an answer.
“I mostly have questions, My Lady.”
“Such as?”
“Well, why are we holding a Hunter against her will? Why would a noblewoman know we’re holding her, and why would she come to rescue that Hunter? From us? Why would she think she needed to be rescued? If you remember, I was the one standing by, ready to lower the portcullis. Normally, I’d never guard the inner courtyard when a Hunter was delivering a body or a runaway Blade, but when she rode through the gate, the look she gave me was, well, I guess contemptuous is the right word. Maybe even, well, not proud, exactly, but almost like she needed me to know that she was…still proud of who and what she was. That it meant something to her. That she wasn’t ashamed to be a Hunter. Damn it. I’m not making any sense.”
Sábria kept her eyes trained on Dina’s. “On the contrary, you're making complete sense. Not only that, but you’re helping me to see things from a different perspective. Your distinction as far as how you saw her pride is an important one. Not proud but wanting you to know she’s not ashamed of being a Hunter. That’s an important distinction, Dina. One I wouldn’t have seen myself. Please, go on.”
Dina looked down to gather her thoughts. It took her a moment to figure out what she’d felt when Xyda had ridden past. “That was so strange that it made me curious and, I guess, a little suspicious, and that’s why I took up an inner guard position like I would if a stranger had come into the courtyard. I didn’t want to, but then, when I heard her saying she’s not a Blade, she’s a Hunter, and she said she didn’t trust you, I don’t know, it’s just worrisome.”
Sábria knew there was more, so she waited patiently. When nothing was forthcoming, she nodded, “Go on.”
“It’s more something I should talk to Subcommander Calit about or one of the Primes. I know you and Commander Shirin are working yourselves into exhaustion, and it’s not something I should bother you about.”
“Dina, I value your observations. You see people come and go all of the time, and you notice things other Blades don’t. Now, especially now, I need all the insight—yours and mine—I can get to remedy a problem I never knew existed. What else do you want to ask or say?”
Dina looked down at the floor as she gathered her thoughts. “I guess, first, I’m feeling unsure about my duties.”
“Unsure in what way?”
“I’m responsible for guarding the gates. Usually, that’s pretty straightforward. Either someone belongs inside, or we stop them, find out their business, and escort them wherever they need to go. The Hunters are Blades, and they’re allowed to come and go from Temples just like every other Blade. But now, I’m not sure whether I should allow them through the gate because what if they really do hate us and mean harm to someone inside? You, for example. And if I let a Hunter in and they hurt you, I—” Her throat closed up, and she worked her jaw to regain the professional persona she always used when reporting to the Arch Priestess. “I couldn’t live with myself if I failed you like that.”
Sábria moved in and put her hands on Dina’s shoulders.
Dina tried to pull away. “I’m being stupid, My Lady, please.”
Sábria tightened her grip, forcing Dina to remain where she was. “Dina, you hold one of the most stressful positions in the Blades. I may not acknowledge it as much as I should, but I realize that you and the other gate guards are committed to keeping the Blades and the Temple safe from outside intrusion.”
She put her fingers beneath Dina’s chin so she would lift her gaze off her boots and look her in the eyes. “Hunters are Blades, and we’ll continue to treat them as such. Any Blade can suddenly go rogue. At times, we can predict which one will, but often it comes as a complete surprise. If something like that happens, it won’t be your fault for not seeing it and allowing them into the Temple. This is their home, and we’ll always welcome them in until they prove us wrong.”
Relief washed through Dina. Her stomach had been tied in knots over having to lower the portcullis to keep a Blade from leaving. “It felt so wrong to trap a Hunter inside the walls. It kind of put me off balance. It makes it easier, I guess, to…” she narrowed her eyes, trying to come up with the exact words for what she was thinking, “…to take each Blade on a case-by-case basis. I was lumping all the Hunters into one, and I can’t do that. Even though Xyda made it seem like they were all completely separate from the Blades, that doesn’t make them the enemy.”
Sábria nodded, “It makes them a group of wounded Blades who need our help to heal. I’ll work on the whole, and you and the rest of the Blades accept and care about the individuals.”
Dina’s features relaxed even more. “Yes, My Lady. Something’s changed with the Hunters, but in other ways, nothing has changed. I’ll keep that in mind and try to explain it to the other gate guards.”
Sábria nodded and patted her shoulder. As she watched her leave, she thought that perhaps it was time to assign Dina as Senior Guardian over the rest of the gate guards. She was more than ready for the promotion, but a promotion to Senior Guardian under normal circumstances meant an assignment away from the gates. In this case, Sábria needed Dina to remain exactly where she was. She relegated the thought to the back of her mind as something she wanted to run past Shirin when this whole mess with the Hunters was resolved.
Sábria picked up a book she’d been reading and went into the bedroom where Xyda slept. Climbing onto the bed, she leaned against the headboard and settled in to read until Shirin returned with her report.
A hand on her shoulder startled her awake. When she opened her eyes, she found Shirin leaning over her, holding the book she’d been reading to keep herself awake. Sábria checked to make sure Xyda was still asleep and pointed to the door, telling Shirin she wanted to go into the other room.
Several candles were already lit, and the table was set with plates, serving ware, and several silver-domed plates of food. Since no one except Shirin would ever come into her rooms without permission, Sábria walked to the table to see what was under the domes. “What’s this, and how did it get in here?” She uncovered the first dish and found roast chicken and potatoes.
“I ran into one of the servants from the dining hall using the lift to bring the serving cart up, so I let them in and had them set everything out. I almost left you to sleep through the night, but I knew you’d wait to eat until I returned, and with the stress you’ve been under, missing yet another meal is not a good idea. Not to mention the fact that you’d want to know what happened before you have to speak to Xyda in the morning.”
The way Shirin’s thoughts mirrored her own didn’t surprise Sábria. The two had been working closely together for many turns, and their bond of trust and understanding was so strong that they practically knew what the other was thinking at any given point.
Take the incident with Quariss, for example. Sábria had known, without having to look, that Shirin would ready the Temple when the woman had threatened it with flaming arrows. She’d expected to see archers running to the back stairs leading to the allure when she’d entered the inner bailey and hadn’t been disappointed. It would have been more surprising if the order hadn’t been given.
Then, when Geller and the entirety of Deadnight shift had silently run toward the rear gate on their way to round up Quariss’s people, she knew without a doubt that given enough provocation, Shirin would make Quariss a guest in the Magistrate’s cells before the evening was done.
Standing at the head of the table, Sábria used the ornately decorated carving knife to slice through the juicy breast, releasing even more mouthwatering scents from the herbs used to season the chicken. She served them each several slices while Shirin lifted the second silver dome and ladled a portion of mixed vegetables onto each plate.
That done, Shirin walked to the bar, chose a wine, uncorked it, and brought it to the table. She poured each of them a generous portion and then, with a heavy sigh, practically fell into her chair. “I put them all into the cells for the night. There were twenty of them, plus Quariss and her second. Quite a few were battle-hardened warriors. Not all. There was another youngster Banin’s age, green and untried. I guess you could call them trainees. There were two of them, both young women who idolized Xyda and Quariss.”
Shirin took a sip of wine and watched over the rim as Sábria gripped the arms of the chair and tiredly lowered herself into it. The weary way she stared at her plate gave Shirin pause. Her friend was exhausted. So was she, for that matter. With a long sigh, Sábria neatly cut a bite of chicken and politely set down the knife before bringing the fork to her mouth. Shirin smiled when Sábria closed her eyes and hummed her appreciation. “That good, huh?” Her stomach rumbled, giving her an excellent excuse to eat while delivering her report. She picked up her knife and fork and raised her brows, asking whether Sábria minded if she broke protocol and ate while reporting on her activities.
Sábria waved her on. “Of course. You’re just as hungry as I am. Continue, please.”
“Anyway, I’d say eight of the others, men and women, were peasants Quariss recruited locally. But I had the feeling they weren’t recent recruits. It's almost as though they were on a retainer, paid by Quariss and the Hunters to stand by in case there’s trouble between the Hunters and Blades.”
Sábria’s fork stopped halfway to her mouth. She lowered it again and stared at her second. “What gave you that idea?”
