Blaze (19 page)

"Yes."

"And this woman is no Dame?"

"Not in the least. She's suffered from delusions for years. It's very sad."

"I thought there was something strange about her, but you know it's an odd thing for women to be warriors, anyway. If you ask me, all those Dames need to be chained up and put to work in the kitchen."

Melody gritted her teeth and clenched her fists.

"I know what you mean." Blaze shook his head and stood. He approached Melody and walked behind her, placing a gentle hand behind her neck. "Women who don't do as they're told can get

into all sorts of trouble."

Melody's blood boiled. Was he trying to tell her that she shouldn’t have followed him? When she got out of the chains, she was going to give him a piece of her mind. She could understand him wanting to work out his problems on his own. She could empathize with his sadness over the loss of the spirits, but this gloating was not something she could ignore. Not when she had gone out of her way to help him.

"I give you my word that if you turn her over to me, no member of this village will regret it."

"Well, we would have to ask for payment." Shaw's beady little eyes glistened with greed.

"Of course. You may take whatever money I have with me, and if more is required, I will send a message to Mistress Honey Wine of Sophianna for the rest."

"No, no." Shaw and the guards looked nervous. "Don't do that. Whatever you have will be fine."

Blaze smiled and removed his coin pouch. "How kind."

"Just empty the contents and whatever is there will be acceptable."

Blaze dumped his coins, which were few, onto the table. Shaw's pudgy, dirt-stained fingers caressed the gleaming silver and bronze. "Unchain the woman."

Melody almost sighed with relief when the chains were removed. She shook her feet and rubbed her wrists.

"May we go?" Blaze asked.

"Of course. I take it you will be leaving Vivondra today?"

"Actually, I would very much like to rest here for a few days. Chasing this woman for the past several weeks has been exhausting."

"Don't rest too long," one of the guards growled. "We don't want a madwoman running free around here."

"I will keep close watch on her and leave very soon." Blaze nodded to Shaw and the guards. He grasped Melody's arm and squeezed it gently, his gaze meeting hers as he guided her to the door.

"They took my sword and my other belongings."

Blaze glanced over his shoulder. "Of course I can take back the horse she stole from one of the madhouse guards as well as her other belongings?"

"You can take everything but the sword."

"Thank you. That's more than fair."

Melody glared at him. "It is?"

"I've told you many times before that you are not to steal people's horses or their swords," Blaze scolded. "You are not a Dame. Repeat after me. I am not a Dame."

If Melody hadn't just lost her best sword, she might have laughed at the entire situation and Blaze's ingenious, if annoying, method of rescuing her. "I am not a Dame."

"Very good. Very good."

The guards followed them outside and shouted for the crowd to disperse.

"Thank you," Melody whispered to Blaze. "We'll talk about my sword and your gloating later."

"I wasn't gloating. By the Spirit, I thought I was going to lose you." He whispered close to her ear, his voice carrying a note of desperation that made her tingle with desire. His love for her shown in his eyes and in the way he held her arm. It had only been a few days, but she had missed him so much and she had been so worried.

"Something is terribly wrong in this village," she said.

"I know. We'll talk later when it's safer."

Two women, one older and plump, the other young and slim, approached.

"That was fantastic." The young one smiled. "I was so afraid they were going to hang her."

"It was dangerous," the older one said.

"Thank you for agreeing to play along and help me," Blaze told them. "But now, more than ever, we need to talk. May we return to your home?"

"Yes," the girl said.

The older woman's brow furrowed. "I—I'm not sure."

The girl looked aghast. "Mother! I want to hear an explanation about what just happened from Blaze."

"Preston." Blaze forced a smile. "Call me Preston from now on."

The girl's eyes glistened. "This is so exciting. I get the feeling that for once something is going to happen for the good of us all."

"I don't know," the girl's mother said. "I see possible disaster."

"Will you talk with us, Aura?" Blaze held the woman's gaze.

Melody couldn't help noticing the physical similarities between Blaze and the women. Surely they must be his relatives.

"All right," Aura said.

"I'm Mercy." The girl fell into step alongside Melody and whispered, "Blaze's sister. That's our mother."

"I’m Melody."

"And you are a Dame, aren't you?"

Nodding, Melody glanced at Blaze. "But I think it's best to keep it a secret for now. So what do you want to call me, Preston? Mad Melody?"

An adorable smile played around his lips and she found it hard to stay angry with him. "Only a madwoman would follow a madman."

"Would you have it any other way?"

"No." He held her gaze in a manner that sent her pulse racing out of control. "Never."

* * *

Once back in Aura's cottage, Blaze's small group assembled around the table. The three women stared at him, their expressions filled with questions.

"First, I suggest we speak quietly," Blaze said.

"I agree, but I also want to know what in the Spirit's name is going on here." Melody glanced at each of them, but paused significantly at Blaze.

"This is Dame Melody, my betrothed. This is Aura, my birth mother, and Mercy, my sister. I'm afraid I owe you an apology, my love." Blaze reached for Melody's hand and squeezed it. His heart still pounded with terror over what might have happened to her because of his mistake. "I had tied up those men who attacked you. I left them there because I was told that if I took them to the jailhouse they would be set free. I intended to return for them once I found out what was really going on in the village."

"You left them there?" Melody snapped. "I suppose I should have minded my own business again and realized that someone had tied them up for a reason."

"I would have done the same thing you did," Blaze admitted. "If anything had happened to you, I never would have forgiven myself."

"Please." Melody held up her hand. "Your inability to deal with guilt is what got us into this mess to begin with."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't mean to be rude, but why don't you both leave while you have the chance?" Aura said.

She placed her hand on Blaze's arm. "I have loved seeing you, but you can't risk your life here.

The raiders will be watching you and Melody."

"That's what I want to discuss."

Melody nodded. "So do I. Who are they exactly and why are they not governed by any kind of real authority? Regardless of whether or not they're guards, they still tried to attack me."

"And me." Mercy's eyes flashed. "That's why Blaze tied them up earlier. He helped me and the children. I said he should have killed them when he had the chance."

"Mercy!" Aura looked aghast. "I have told you time and again not to talk like that. If the raiders so much as assume any of us want to rebel, then our lives will be destroyed."

"They're destroyed already, Mum. The raiders take our money, our food, and our livestock. They burst into any house they please and take up residence. They rape our women and kill anyone who tries to stop them."

"Sounds like you need a rebellion," Melody said. "Why not call for the Knights or the Dames?"

"The raiders keep the village well guarded to ensure no one escapes. If strangers pass through, like you and Blaze, no one is to talk about the raiders and we're to get rid of visitors as quickly as possible."

Blaze remained outwardly calm, though rage simmered inside him. He detested people who used what power they had to torture others. "Get rid of?"

"Either see that they leave the village or. . ." Aura sighed, shaking her head. "It's really terrible."

"Or kill them," Mercy continued. "Some people have been suspected of knowing what's wrong here and they mysteriously die."

Blaze cocked an eyebrow. "And no one's come looking for them?"

"Not that I know of. That's why I want you to go while you can." Aura squeezed Blaze’s arm tighter.

"Has anyone discussed rebellion?" he asked.

Aura and Mercy exchanged nervous glances. Blaze sensed that at least some of the villagers wanted to fight for their freedom.

"Even if has been discussed, we haven't the means to carry it out." Mercy's fists clenched.

"If we leave now, we can be home in a day and half and back with troops in even less time. Lock's ship is faster than the cargo vessels we took to get here," Melody said.

Mercy smiled. "Perfect. This is the chance we've been waiting for.

"No, please." Aura looked as terrified. "If the raiders see troops marching in, they'll ruin this village before the Knights and Dames have a chance to help."

"But not if they don’t see us coming." Blaze exchanged glances with Melody. Both the Ruby and Opal orders had specially trained spy factions that could infiltrate the village without being detected. Once Vivondra was secured, Mahir could go to the High King and demand that the village be protected until they train a local guard of their own.

"You don't know me," Blaze held his mother's gaze, "but I need you to trust me. This is no way for anyone to live. These raiders have no right to control your lives. I am offering you the chance to stop them. Do you want the children here to grow up in the shadow of the Black Raiders, or as free men and women to follow the paths they choose for themselves?"

"He's right, Mum, and you know it." Mercy glanced from Blaze to Melody. "There is a small group of villagers who have been discussing rebellion. I can send word for them to assemble, and I know they'll help in any way they can."

"Mercy, I told you to stay away from those people."

"I'm sorry, Mum, but I've been planning with them right along. I'm not willing to give up and fall in line so easily."

Blaze felt a spark of pride for his young sister. It seemed her spirit was too free to be tamed by the fear in which Aura had raised her. He hoped no harm would come to her, for rebellion almost always included bloodshed.

Aura sighed. "People will be hurt, maybe killed."

"I would rather die fighting for my freedom than continue living in bondage," Mercy said.

"Blaze—I mean, Preston—and Melody, tell me what you need to have done."

"If you can arrange for a meeting tomorrow with the people you spoke of, that will be perfect."

Blaze drew a cleansing breath and sat back in his chair, narrowing his eyes in thought. "We don't want to leave too soon, Melody, since I told Shaw we need a few days to rest."

"You're right. If we go now, it will look suspicious. If we stay around for a day or two, we can get a good look at how the village is set up and get to know more of the people."

Mercy laughed nervously. "This is frightening, but somehow exciting."

Blaze raised an eyebrow at his sister. "I give you marks for spirit and courage, but remember that you're not a trained warrior. Do what Melody and I say, and remember that your main concern is to keep yourself and your mum as safe as possible."

"She's your mum, too."

Blaze smiled, remembering Lenora back in Rubyshire. "Then I'm lucky enough to have two, now."

"Well," Aura's lips curved upward slightly, "it's good to know you had a mother after all. I thought Sir Mahir was unmarried."

"He is, but one of the other Knights had a wife who worked in the kitchen and she was like a mother to me. Maybe when all this is over, you and Mercy will visit me in Rubyshire so I can introduce you to my family there?"

"Could we, Mum? I always wanted to meet some Knights."

"Don’t blame you." Melody smiled in Blaze's direction.

"When we have time, Melody, I'd love to hear what it's like to be a Dame. Are they looking for new members?"

"Mercy, please!" Aura's face paled. "Let’s get through one crisis at a time. I don't want to think about you becoming a Dame."

Blaze half smiled. It seemed Aura might have to worry. Mercy seemed like an ideal recruit for the Opal Order. By the way Melody was studying his sister, he had the feeling she was thinking the

exact same thing.

"We might as well go to the inn to find a room." Blaze stood.

"Stay here," Aura said. "Please. It's the least we can do."

"I'll make a place for you." Mercy stood and went to a trunk where she began removing blankets.