Duality (30 page)

She knelt by the tub. “Lie back and close your eyes.”

“I do not want to ever close my eyes,” he confessed. “I keep seeing…” His voice trailed off, and he swallowed hard.

“Then focus on me, my face.”

“You have blood in your hair too.”

“I’m a fearsome dragon warrior,” she told him. “I’m supposed to look bloodthirsty and fierce.”

“But you have a tender heart, healer,” he murmured.

“Well, for mercy’s sake don’t tell anyone.” She frowned. “You’ll ruin my reputation.”

“Your reputation is safe with me,
elingrena
.” He shifted in the water. “Come in. This tub is big enough for both of us.”

She wondered what
“elingrena”
meant, and blushed recalling the last time he’d said it. Biting her lip, she wriggled out of her boots, belt, breeches and hose, careful to keep her tunic down over her backside.

His eyes lit with rueful amusement. “I cannot believe you would still be shy with me.”

“Fine.” Taking a deep breath, she whipped the tunic over her head and tossed it to the floor. She shivered as his gaze traveled over her body, and resisted the urge to cover herself. He merely held out a hand to help her into the hot scented water, and she settled betwixt his legs, resting hers atop his, facing him.

He spanned her waist with his hands. “You are so beautiful, I almost forget to breathe.” He reached up to tug at her braid, pulling off the restraint and running his fingers through the strands to unravel the weave. “I love your hair. I remember yanking off that ridiculous hat and watching it tumble free.”

“What do you mean, my ridiculous hat?”

“No more.” His eyes turned serious. “No more hiding who and what we are.”

She shook her head and pulled him to her for a kiss, Slow, drugging kisses meant to soothe and comfort, not arouse. Just the touch of another soul to tell him, “You’re not alone. I’m here with you. For you.” She broke off the kiss and reached for the washing rag, scrubbing the battle from his hair and body, shivering when he did the same for her. It was mostly silent, but an intimacy that needed no words. A bridge had been crossed, and there was no going back.

Loren helped her from the tub, and Dara wrapped her arms around him. For a moment they simply held each other, then he grabbed a drying cloth. She stood quietly as he dried her off and wrapped her in his chamber robe. She had no idea where the road ahead might lead.

An urgent banging hit the door. “Dara?” Verdeen called. “Brannan is with me. Let us in.”

Loren wrapped the drying cloth around his waist so it covered him to his knees. He went over to open the door.

Dara tried to act nonchalant. “What’s going on?”

“You must come with me, now,” Verdeen said.

“I won’t leave Loren.”

“You must.”

“That is why I am here,” Brannan added. “I shall take him to the House of Healing when we are done here. I promise I shall not leave his side.”

“Come
on.
” Verdeen tugged on Dara’s arm. “You must dress.”

Dara allowed herself to be dragged into her room for a quick change afore being hustled down the hall. What was so important as to drag her away from Loren?

Just outside the palace entrance, Dara plowed to a halt afore she crashed into Lorelei. Verdeen’s hand on her arm steadied her. “My lady, what’s wrong?” Dara asked Lorelei.

“Thou hast a visitor. Verdeen, thou art excused.”

Verdeen disappeared back into the palace.

“Come with me.” Lorelei started down the stairs, where Cianan, his shoulder bandaged, waited with a short, heavily armed and robed stranger.

His gaze met hers briefly. Warmth and comfort shone in his cobalt eyes, although he did naught but nod. It felt like a hug. He loved Loren, too, as a brother, and worried with her. She wasn’t alone in this.

Dara didn’t recognize the silhouette, child-sized, but stocky. “Were you awaiting me?”

Eyes glittered at her from beneath the hood. “I believe you have been waiting for
me
, child of earth and fire,” came a gruff reply. A small, rough hand yanked the hood back.

Dara stared. So this was a dwarf woman. Long shaggy brown curls framed a round, weather-tanned face. Humor glinted from wicked black eyes. “Greetings, ma’am.” She dropped to her knees at the woman’s feet.

The voices screamed their protest. “
A queen bowsss to no one
.”

Dara ignored them.

“I am Pahn. I was led to believe I was needed to help with a personal problem, but mayhaps I have the wrong person. I have never seen a dragon bow to any, the Kahn Androcles females in particular. Be you an imposter?”

“I am but a very recent dragon, ma’am, and a mere half at that. I was taught to respect my superiors. I ask for your help. I have no one else to turn to. Others have tried and failed to remove this curse.” Her eyes filled with tears. “A man died today because of me. I will have no more deaths on my head.” Her failure had nearly destroyed Loren.

Pahn snorted, but her voice was not unkind when she replied, “A queen has a great deal of blood on her hands. If needs must, she would order a man to his death to serve her purpose. You must make sure it is always for the greater good to sleep at night; that is all even your Lady can ask.” She turned to Cianan. “You may go.”

Cianan bowed. “As you wish,
majeda
. Good luck,
vertenya
. I shall see you later.”

Lorelei turned to Pahn. “Thou must be tired. Please, allow us to show thee to thy quarters, and I shalt order refreshments.”

“Was a bit of a hike at that. I require no maiding, though.”

“As thou wish.” Lorelei led them back into the palace, down the public corridors to an ornate doorway. “I believe thou shalt find the Starlight Suite comfortable. Make thyself at home.” She returned down the hall.

Pahn entered the room and looked around. Done in shades of midnight blue and silver, it had great windows and billowing, gauzy curtains. She grunted. “Not a very earthy room, if you ask me.”

“This is their best guest chamber,” Dara said. “Would you prefer something less airy?”

Pahn shrugged. “I would, but I’ll manage. This palace was built on earth and fire, so it still suits my purposes. I’m not one to whine o’er color.” She eyed Dara. “I’m guessing you’re not, either.” Pahn hung her cloak on a hook and peered into the small pack on the table. “Good, they left my things alone. I half expected someone to rummage through it in the name of
security
, but the wards are undisturbed.”

“I should leave you to your rest…” She longed to return to Loren.

Pahn waved her hand. “Sit. Let’s get to know one another. Been a long time since I’ve had a chat with one of your ilk, child. I need to know what’s happened.”

“My name’s Dara, great lady—”

“I’m no lady, so stop right there. My name’s Pahn, and that’s enough greats, child. Understood?”

“Aye.” Dara swallowed. “My mother died when I was very small, and I never knew my real father…”

A knock at the door interrupted them. “I was sent with food,” a page called.

Dara took a tray loaded with enough bread, cheese and roasted fowl to feed a small army. A second page bore a large earthenware pitcher brimming with ale. They placed their burdens on the table and took their leave. Dara recounted her tale of woe while Pahn made short work of the meal. “I tried to heal Deane, but I couldn’t. It’s a wall I can’t get over, around or through,” she finished. “Can you help?”

Pahn burped and wiped her mouth on her sleeve. “’Course I can. But iron’s the least of your ills. What of that demon that’s running around your king’s fine castle? What of him?”

“I would send him back where he came from, for good.” Dara clenched her teeth. “I will not rest until he’s gone or I’ve died trying.”

“Well, they don’t have metal mages in this accursed-pretty land. Guess I won’t be goin’ home for a while. Someone must hold this point of the pentacle.”

“I hoped you’d say that.”

“Hmph.” Pahn eyed her with that wicked amusement. “What of you? You realize you and your fancy necklace hold a point of your own, don’t you? Can you at least call fire?”

“I almost set this palace aflame the first time. But I’m much better now.”

“Ha. Keeping that prissy water mage on her toes, I’ll warrant. Good for you.” Pahn drained her cup of ale and held it out to Dara to pour more. “It’s chilly in here. Would you mind?” She indicated the fireplace.

Dara focused and pointed. “
Go
.” The wood burst into flames. Dara swallowed the acid down and turned to the dwarf mage.

“Good enough. Hold out your hands. Let me see.”

Dara obeyed, her heart in her throat. The voices were quiescent as Pahn stared at the reddened, flaking skin around her wrists. The dwarf muttered under her breath, guttural words Dara couldn’t quite distinguish, and Dara felt a tingling probe. For a moment she saw fine black threads twisting under her skin, then the vision was gone.

“Well, if I had any doubts about your story, that cinched it.” Pahn sat back. “Only a dragon is so vulnerable to iron. Good thing it’s so rare a metal here; you’d have a pletha of a time back home.” She pulled over her pack, rummaged through it, and pulled out two stones, one smooth and gleaming black, the other jagged and a dull silvery grey. “Hold still and picture black smoke leaving your wrist.”

Dara watched Pahn place one rock on either side of her wrist.
Black smoke, black smoke
. The threads writhed and the burning began anew, but she kept her focus. The first thread pulled free from her skin like a needle jabbed from the inside out, curling toward the black rock as if drawn by a magnet. More followed, one by one, thread and needles and smoke. Dara gritted her teeth against the tears, so grateful to have the iron removed she’d have borne any amount of pain to see it done.

“Give me your other wrist.” Pahn didn’t even pause for breath. Dara obeyed and the process repeated itself. After the last wisp of smoke had disappeared into the black rock, Pahn took a deep breath and opened her eyes. “The ties within your body I will draw down to your ankles and out. Focus
down
.”

This was harder. A thousand little threads made their presence known. A tiny stab here and there she could have withstood, but all of them at once, everywhere, stole her breath away. The voices hissed and
pushed
with all their combined might. Pahn swirled the stones, coalescing all the poison into a downward spiral.
Downdowndown.
Dara sweat, cramping through little breaths.
Go. Down. Out
.

With a final stab of pain, the last of the iron streamed from her body into the black stone. The release was so abrupt, and so great, Dara started to cry in earnest. Pahn put the stones away and poured ale for each of them.

“There, now, girl, it’s done.” Pahn’s shoulders slumped. “How do you feel?”

“Like myself again. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. The iron’s gone, but the brand’s still there. It’ll only disappear with the death of Jalad and the banishing of the demon.”

Dara swallowed hard. She’d figured as much. This entire situation seemed to be a series of victories and setbacks.

“But your former strength will return. Don’t try to do anything yet. We both should rest. The funeral’s tomorrow, I’m told. Then the coronation of your fancy princeling.”

“He doesn’t want the crown.”

“Well, the crown wants him. No use fighting what must be.”

Dara’s jaw dropped. “You’re a…preor—” She couldn’t think of the correct word. “A…one of those.”

Pahn laughed. “I believe in the Destiny Hand, aye.”

The voices hissed. “We choose our own fates,” Dara decreed. “I won’t have mine decided for me.”

Pahn sighed and rubbed her face. “That is a discussion for another time. Good night. I will see you in the morning.”

Loren’s room was empty. Verdeen greeted Dara at her door. “It worked, I can tell. You feel…lighter.”

“You have no idea.” Dara shuddered. “Where’s Loren?”

“The family is all at the temple, attending the watch. They shall be at it all night. I am sorry, but it is family only. Would you like something to eat?” Dara shook her head. Everything ached. She just wanted sleep. She was so tired, she doubted she’d be able to light a candle. But come tomorrow…

Jalad had best keep watch. Dara was back, and his days were numbered.

***

Drums were the first thing Dara heard in the silence, a deep “boom” that reverberated through her soul. Verdeen made a final adjustment to Dara’s black veils, ensuring no hair showed through.

Pahn caught Dara’s eye and nodded. The dwarf would pay her respects to a fallen foreign leader, as any visiting ambassador might.

Lorelei and Paulette looked odd with their eyebrows shaved. Paulette had gone even further and shaved her entire head like the professional mourners did. She resembled a marble statue, expressionless save for reddened eyes.

Those eyes made her look a bit mad, as well.