For Want of a Fiend (2 page)

Katya nodded but focused on trying to see if any of the links of her chain shirt had actually broken, if she’d been cut at all. “You did fine, Averie.” But she missed her young cousin Maia. Katya had to swallow as she thought of Maia in the grip of her murderous Fiendish uncle Roland.

“What was that?” Brutal whispered in her ear.

Katya didn’t look at him. Instead, she watched past his shoulder as Starbride climbed out of the tree beside Averie. As the only Allusian member of their party, Starbride’s red/brown skin and black hair stood out, though she dressed in the same hardwearing leather as the rest of them. Hers was borrowed, though. Katya preferred her in silk.

She glanced at Katya’s torn shirt with concern plain in her dark eyes. Katya smiled and fought not to wince. She glanced at Brutal. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Talking about you taking on three at once instead of waiting for help.” He prodded the bent chain links, making Katya hiss. “I’m talking about this.”

Katya stared hard into the baby face that contrasted so much with his tall, muscled frame. “Are you going to help me patch myself up or not?”

He frowned, and his eyes slid to the side as Starbride joined them, a look that promised there would be words between them later. He lifted her chain shirt. “You’ll have a nice bruise as a reminder.”

Averie let out a slow breath, clearly relieved. She wasn’t the crack shot Maia had been, and she knew it.
Still was
, Katya reminded herself,
the shot that Maia still was.

“Are you all right?” Starbride asked.

“It’s just a bruise. You did very well.”

Starbride beamed. “The flash bomb is the only destruction pyramid I’m really good with. Sorry I didn’t bring anything bigger.”

“It’s all right.” Another loss. Crowe couldn’t come with them into the field anymore, not with the wound given him by Roland; it still pained him. The king’s pyradisté had to be content with waiting at home, even though he could have brought many pyramids to the fight.

“Do you need me to see into any of their minds?” Starbride asked. “I think one or two are still alive.”

Katya shook her head. “They’re just regular robbers, not conspirators.”

Starbride nodded, but Katya could see the question in her eyes: Why was the Order of Vestra out in the woods fighting robbers? Katya didn’t know how to answer, just like she didn’t really know the answer to Brutal’s question. She supposed that if she couldn’t find Roland and Maia, thwarting robbers was the best she could hope for.

They loaded the bodies and two wounded prisoners into the empty carriage, collected their horses, and began the ride back to Marienne, mostly in silence, all lost in their own thoughts. Pennynail split from them before they came within sight of the stone walls, taking the carriage and two prisoners with him. The rest of them rode past fields and country homes and then, along the main thoroughfare into the city itself.

As it always did, the sight of the palace proper, a series of long rectangles with the occasional turret or tower rising out of the jumble, made her both anxious and relieved. Relieved to be home again with all her party safe, anxious at having to assume her role as numbskull princess again, a woman reported to love weapon-craft and hunting and not have many brains in her head. It was a good cover for the leader of the Order of Vestra, a good place from which to protect her family from traitors to the crown.

Well, that was until a member of her own family turned out to be the biggest traitor of them all. Roland knew the palace as well as she did, another reason for the place to make her anxious.

As she passed the statues of the ten spirits that lined the wide passage into the courtyard, Katya let her glance linger on Ellias and Elody, twins of love and beauty. She gave them a small salute. They’d brought Starbride into her life and let her leave behind one piece of her court persona: the rake. There was that sense of relief again, a sense of wholeness that only love could bring.

Brutal saluted Best and Berth, twins of strength and courage, the patron spirits of his brotherhood. Katya made sure to honor Matter and Marla as well, needing their sharp intellects and wisdom to stay one step ahead of her uncle.

Averie saluted Jack and Jan, twins of skill and deftness, much as Pennynail would have, but he wouldn’t have sported her guilty expression. Katya held in a sigh. Averie seemed to have adopted Maia’s insecurity along with their position. Everyone saluted Fah and Fay, spirits of luck, the twin statues perched precariously atop a stone egg. They’d need all the luck they could get.

When they left their horses in the royal stable, Brutal pulled Katya aside. “Well?” he asked.

“I’d really like to get back to my quarters and spend some time with Starbride.”

He kept pace with her into the hallways, past the stable area where bare floors gave way to sumptuous carpets, statues, and paintings. Starbride’s brow was drawn in curiosity, but she kept her distance and pulled Averie back as well.

“I know why you took three of them on,” Brutal said.

“Could it be Maia?”

“I miss her, too, Katya, but what you did wasn’t about her, and you know it.”

“What do I know?”

“It’s about you not having a Fiend.”

Katya nearly faltered. “I don’t want to talk about—”

“We’re going to talk about it if you keep pulling stupid stunts like launching yourself at three opponents at once.”

“You can’t—”

“Let me finish, or you’ll be hearing this from Crowe.”

Katya clenched her teeth on her response. Crowe was too weak to be yelling at anyone.

“You lost your Fiend, and now you’re trying to prove you’re as strong as when you had it.”

“Why is that bad?”

“If you’ll just remember, you used your Fiend exactly twice, and that was when there was no other choice.”

“And what do I do if there’s no choice now?” She clipped the words when she wanted to scream them.

“You don’t need to prove yourself, Fiend or no Fiend. If Roland comes again, we’ll think of something.”

Katya nodded, and Brutal fell silent, but her insides were in turmoil. She could’ve beaten three men, even without the others, but as the pain in her side proved, she wouldn’t have come away unscathed. But it had been her Fiend as much as
her
that had thwarted Roland, and even then, she’d only succeeded in driving him off. If he came at them again, if he used Maia against them, how could she hope to defeat him without the strength of the Fiend?

Brutal left her before she reached the royal apartments, past the guards and the guardian pyramids that glittered in the walls. Katya felt a light touch on her shoulder and turned to Starbride’s caring face. Even after a month of having the title of princess consort, she hadn’t learned to keep her expressions carefully neutral. That or she didn’t care what anyone else thought, another reason to love her.

“Am I coming with you or are you coming with me?” Starbride asked.

Katya grinned, happy that one or the other was a given. “Averie will want to check my bruise or she’ll fret herself to death.”

“I’ll get changed, say hello to Dawnmother, and meet you in your room.”

Katya leaned in for a kiss. “Perfect.”

Alone, it wasn’t as perfect as she imagined. Katya sat in her private sitting room and stared at the domed ceiling painted in the colors of rose tinted dawn. Not it, nor the comfortable settees, divans, and carpets or the fully stocked drinks cabinet could distract her for long. She couldn’t keep her mind off the emptiness inside her, the place the Fiend had resided.

“I’m sorry you were wounded,” Averie said. She had changed into the high-necked blue dress that was her livery. Her fingers twitched at the crest embroidered at her hip, Katya’s hawk and rose, as if she were nervous she might have to pluck the emblem out.

“You’ve been out with us so many times, Averie, why are you so nervous?”

“I’m not as good as Maia. I can’t shoot from just anywhere, and people are a lot harder to shoot than deer. When I…” She swallowed and closed her eyes for a moment. “When I went with you in the past and didn’t split off to hunt, I could always count on Maia to outshoot me. I was happy watching the horses; I knew I wouldn’t have to shoot anyone and that nothing bad would come of it if I missed my target.”

“No one’s asking you to replace Maia, but we do need an archer, and you’re stupendous, Averie. I made a stupid mistake.”

“Now you’re just trying to make me feel better.”

“Ask Brutal if you don’t believe me. You’re not only a first-rate archer, you’re a world-class lady-in-waiting. Starbride will be here soon.”

“I’ll fetch you something. With refreshment, I know exactly where I am.”

There was one person squared away; only scores to go. Like Maia. Was she with her father, and if so, what was he doing to her? How was he poisoning her mind? Had he found some way to bring on her Aspect, let her Fiend out, without her having to Waltz?

The Waltz, yet another thing Katya couldn’t do without a Fiend.

Someone knocked softly on the wall behind Katya’s mirror, and she toggled the latch that opened the secret passageway. Starbride emerged, clad in simple trousers and shirt, foregoing fancy embroidery when out of the public eye. As they embraced, Katya did notice that the simple clothing was well fitting, deftly showing off Starbride’s curves.

Katya let her hands wander until Starbride stopped her. “We are waiting for Averie to return, are we not?”

“I was just admiring this fabric.”

“I’ll have one of my outfits sent over. Then you can admire it always.”

“It wouldn’t be as fun without you in it.” Katya stroked the soft hair that Starbride wore loose around her shoulders now that the dangerous part of their day was done.

“Are you going to keep your conversation with Brutal a secret? You know how much I like figuring out secrets.”

“He did all but call me a fool for taking on three opponents, and he was right.”

“Ah, the Aspect again?” Unlike Averie, she didn’t seem to feel guilty, even though she’d drained Katya of Yanchasa’s extra essence. The power that had allowed Katya to defeat Roland would have killed her had she held on to it.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Katya said anyway.

“Yanchasa took back what was rightfully his. Love is never a reason to feel guilty.”

Averie came in with lunch. Starbride and Katya sat to eat and talked of less important things. When they’d finished, they drank wine together on a settee, fingers entwined.

“Coming with me to report to my parents?” Katya asked. “Father sent a note. He wants to discuss what’s to be done with Brom.”

“Not a pleasant topic. And I’m definitely not coming if
they’ll
be there.”

“Reinholt will be too busy with his children to waste his bitter anger on you.”

“Oh yes, I thought so, too, but then his children arrived, and he still has time for petty little comments, asking after Hugo and such.”

“Hugo chose you over Roland. Reinholt’s own wife didn’t do that.”

“Hugo did not
choose
me. He…he may be…infatuated, but it’s a crush, that’s all. He goggles at every woman he meets.”

Katya didn’t press the issue. The young ex-lord might have ogled the other women of court, but he followed Starbride like a puppy and talked of almost nothing but her. Down in the dungeons, Brom spoke only of her children, rarely of her husband Reinholt. “I’ll have another word with Reinholt.”

“If it makes you feel better.”

“And I’ll have another word with Lord Vincent.”

“No, no, not in my hearing please. A bigot is a bigot and will probably never change.”

“He’s just old-fashioned.”

“When we met, he ordered me to take his cloak! Even though I was wearing the damned consort bracelet and was dressed as well as the rest of you, he saw that I was Allusian and assumed I was subservient.”

“He lived in Oldsport, and the Farradain families there—”

“Employ Allusian servants, I know. But we’re far away from
Old
sport. I’m not the only Allusian courtier here. I wonder if he asks the others to take his cloaks, too.”

Katya had to laugh at the idea. “Since you were properly introduced, the champion of Farraday has been polite and civil.”

“I can
feel
him disapproving of me. Is he teaching your niece and nephew to be bigots? I bet Reinholt is helping there.”

Katya sighed for the hundredth time. “My parents wouldn’t allow that. Besides, Bastian and Vierdrin love you.”

“They’re very sweet.”

“Lord Vincent protects them. He doesn’t teach them.”

“Thank Horsestrong for that.”

Lord Vincent had shown up on their doorstep only a week or so after Roland had attacked. Despite the promises Roland had given to Brom, someone
had
come after the children, proving that Roland had even more allies than the two he’d sneaked into the palace before, Darren Sleeting and his late brother, Cassius.

“I’ll scout ahead,” Katya said, “and if either of them is in my parents’ rooms, you can wait in the hallway until I chase them off.”

Starbride agreed, and Katya led her through the halls to her parents’ sitting room. Luckily, Reinholt and Lord Vincent had left the king and queen of Farraday to babysit their grandchildren.

Bastian and Vierdrin ran for Starbride and Katya at top speed, and Katya swung her niece into the air while Starbride knelt and hugged little Bastian. Like all young children, they quickly lost interest in cuddles and retreated to the toys on the carpet.

Ma had a strained smile that looked very tired around the eyes.

Katya nodded at the children. “Wishing for a little of that distance you were lamenting before, Ma?”

“I’m not as young as I used to be.”

“You’re twice as beautiful, Cat,” Da said from where he played with the children on the rug. “Now, come sit with me, daughter-in-law.” He shifted so Starbride could sit on the chair next to him.

Ma clucked slightly. She’d never liked giving out titles until they were a real and honest fact. Katya said nothing, not minding the title one bit. If Starbride kept being so perfect, Katya didn’t know how she could wait out the year of consortship before marrying her.