FORBIDDEN TALENTS (58 page)

Then suddenly the pattern jerked and twisted, turning awry.

*

“
Dahl!
”
Celia strode across the nearly empty hall, flanked by Utta and Saeun. All three of them wore the gray of mourning for Neven, and all of them looked worried.

Now what
?

Celia sailed to a stop and acknowledged both him and Ingirid with a word and a tense smile. She looked about. No one but family and Gris was within earshot.
“
Ragni is going to try to heal Sig. He’s doing a Great Healing to prove he’s worthy to be Overprest.
”

What
? Dahleven kept his face impassive, fighting to keep dismay from stealing his breath. He had pushed Ragni into this with his careless demands for a supportive Overprest. But gods! What was his brother thinking?

“
My lord, Father Vali is the next ranking priest,
”
Gris observed.
“
Will it not be he who stands second to Father Ragnar, as he did for Sig?
”

“
Baldur’s Balls!
”
Dahleven surged to his feet.
“
Yes. Let’s go. We may yet be in time.
”

Dahleven didn’t slow his pace for those following. He ran through the halls to Sig’s room, not caring what attention he drew. Gris was only a step behind, the others following.
Blast Ragni. Why didn’t he tell me what he was going to do
?
If he gets himself mind-blasted from this I’ll wring his neck
. As he turned onto Sig’s hallway he saw two armsmen standing guard outside.
Armsmen. Not acolytes. That’s odd
.

Dahleven addressed the senior man as he drew close.
“
Open the door, Besavaer.
”

The man paled, but said firmly,
“
My lord, I cannot.
”

The smell of incense was in the air. Had Ragni already started? In a deadly quiet voice Dahleven said,
“
You
cannot
?
”

“
My lord, I swore an oath to defend this door and prevent any and all interruption to Father Ragnar.
”

An oath
?
Ragni extracted an oath from one of my own men
?
“
I am the Jarl. You are foresworn,
”
Dahleven said more loudly.

Besavaer looked sick.
“
I’m sorry, my lord.
”

Celia came up beside him, followed by Utta, Saeun, and finally Ingirid.

“
How long has he been in there?
”
Celia asked.

“
All morning, my lady.
”

Gris moved up beside them.
“
We have discovered a threat to Father Ragnar, Besavaer. You must open the door. He will thank you for it.
”

Besavaer shook his head.
“
No.
”

“
How long does a Great Healing take?
”
Celia asked.

Dahleven heard the sound of movement within. Was Vali even now sabotaging Ragni’s ritual? He surged forward, but Besavaer and his fellow armsman shouldered him back.
“
Open the door!
”
he shouted.

Somehow Celia pushed her way in between him and Besavaer.
“
Dahl, stop!
”

He wanted to pick her up and set her aside, but he knew she wouldn’t stay there. He eased back and the armsmen looked relieved.

“
I don’t know much about this stuff,
”
Celia continued,
“
but couldn’t you screw things up by charging in there?
”

Dahleven clenched his teeth and swallowed hard. Baldur’s Balls. Celia was right. There was nothing he could do now but wait and hope that Vali’s ambition didn’t get the better of Ragni.

A moment later the door opened and his brother stood there, one hand gripping the door frame, as if he were struggling to hold himself up.
“
Indeed he could, my dear.
”

The two guards moved back.

Ragni lifted Celia’s fingers to his lips and brushed a kiss across her knuckles, every bit as flirtatious as ever, but Dahleven could see the effort he was expending just to stand upright.

“
You should learn to listen to the mother of your child, Dahl.
”

“
Your hand!
”
Saeun cried, and rushed forward.

*

Ragni turned just in time to receive Saeun’s embrace. Fatigued though he was, he still relished the feel of her body pressed against his. Too soon she pulled back, and he sagged against the doorframe. Saeun rained kisses on his hand. His whole, healthy hand. His skin, pink as new babe’s, tingled where she pressed her lips. Tears sparkled on her cheeks.

“
Your hand!
”
She laughed.
“
Your beautiful hand!
”

Despite his near exhaustion, Saeun’s delight bathed him in joy.

Then Utta was there too, her happiness nearly as great as Saeun’s. Saeun started to pull away, but he wouldn’t let her go, and Utta drew her back until they were all three embracing. Gods, he’d never felt anything like it, not even in bed. Dahleven’s hand came down on his shoulder, and his brother’s love and relief and a touch of exasperation swirled into the mix. Ragni felt dizzy, drunk on joy.

Gris slipped past him into the room.

“
Who stood second to you?
”
Dahleven asked.

Somehow Ragni found the strength to push his Talent and the flood of giddy happiness down enough to think, and then to speak.
“
Vali volunteered for the position, but in the end he—hmm—stepped aside.
”

“
Then who stood by you?
”
Saeun asked.

Che’veyo stepped out of the room, followed by three priests of Baldur.
“
We did,
”
he said.

“
All of you?
”
Dahleven asked.

“
Father Ragnar needed witnesses when he received Baldur’s blessing,
”
Father Lojal replied.
“
And Lord Che’veyo said there should be five of us.
”

Gris emerged from the room.
“
What happened to Father Vali?
”

“
Vali seemed disinclined to follow the ritual,
”
Lojal said.
“
We corrected him. Somewhat forcefully, I’m afraid.
”
His grim smile didn’t look in the least contrite.

Ragni looked at his priests. They’d half expected his death when they’d asked to stand with him; now they glowed with pride at having witnessed Baldur’s blessing of the new Overprest. Then his gaze fell on Che’veyo.
“
I’m sorry Baldur did not see fit to heal your sight, my friend.
”

The Shaman shook his head and smiled.
“
The gods have granted me a different vision in its place. I will not disdain their gift.
”

Ragni gripped the other man’s shoulder. He wasn’t sure he could have accepted that exchange with such equanimity.

“
Father Krimm will stay with Sig, my lord Overprest. Shall I begin planning the ceremony of Recognition?
”
Father Lojal asked.

Another ceremony
. Why did he want this job, again? Still, it was better than being Jarl. Or Kon, as Dahleven was destined to be. He almost smiled.

“
Proceed with the plans. But don’t schedule it for a several days. I could use a bit of rest.
”
His knees weakened and he began to slide down the doorframe, starting a new flurry of exclamations from the women.

Dahleven caught him and eased him to the floor.
“
Get Ghav,
”
he ordered.

“
I don’t need a healer. I’m as healthy as a man can be. I just performed a Great Healing, after all. I’m only tired. All I need now is to sleep for about three days.
”

Saeun sat next to him on one side, Utta on the other, both asking if there was aught they could do or fetch for him.

“
There is one thing I want before I rest.
”
He looked at Utta and cocked a questioning eyebrow at her while tilting his head toward Saeun. His betrothed smiled and nodded, and he felt her approval. Then he turned to Saeun.
“
Well?
”

Saeun blinked, confused.
“
Well, what?
”

“
I’m still waiting for your answer. And there’s only one which I will accept.
”

For a moment Saeun’s expression was blank, then understanding flooded in. A maelstrom of emotions swirled in her, making each one indistinct. She glanced at Utta, who reached out, clasped her hand and said,
“
Please say yes.
”

“
But I’m of the tree-folk.
”

“
You’re the ambassador of those who saved Quartzholm,
”
Utta said.
“
You’re a heroine. I will be honored to claim you as a sister.
”

Ragni felt Saeun’s surge of affection for Utta, but doubt still clouded her heart.
“
I don’t care about your lineage,
”
Ragni said, placing his hand over both of theirs.
“
It’s part of who you are—and I love you. Please, be my
elskerinne
.
”

Ragni felt her answer only an instant before she spoke.

“
Yes, Ragni, I’ll—
”

His kiss swallowed her assent.

Yes
!
Yes
!
Yes
! He pulled Saeun half across his lap, wrapping her in his arms. Her unreserved joy flowed into him, mingling with his own. She held nothing back. All the time she’d been missing, it was as if she’d taken an irreplaceable piece of him with her. Even when he’d found her again, her fear had held part of her away from him. Now her heart was fully open. He kissed her again and exhausted though he was, his body responded to her desire.

Beside him, Utta glowed with pleasure. Even the amusement of the others watching them couldn’t dim his delight. Baldur’s Blessings! Saeun was his at last!

*

Saeun snuggled back into the heat of Ragni’s body and drew the covers up under her chin, wondering at how her life had turned on its head in only three short weeks. Thora’s stones had spoken truly: great change
had
come, as well as opportunity.

They’d laid Neven to rest in the Hall of Kings three days ago, and Wirmund had been buried with honor the day after. Ragni had told her about the Overprest’s threats, but they’d gone unmentioned as the priests sang him to his rest. He was gone, and could no longer hurt anyone. No need now to besmirch his name.

The Elves had witnessed Ragni’s Recognition as Overprest, giving their approbation to his assension. He’d promised Saeun that when the Council of Priests convened at the next Althing, the Laws of Sanction would be brought up for review. It would be a struggle to convince some of the older priests that the old magicks should again be permitted, but because she’d used her magic to save Quartzholm, he had a better chance of persuading them. And just yesterday Dahleven and Lord Kaeron had shocked most of the Nuvinlanders by asking her, a
woman
, to act as ambassador between the mortals and the Elves. The Light Elves, anyway.

She smiled, remembering how Ragni had urged her to accept the position. She supposed it made sense, since she’d spent time among the Elves and was already the liaison with the tree-folk. And deep down, she was glad her new friends would not be lost to her.

Lord Kaeron and his people had departed just this morning, escorting the Tewakwe back to the drylands. The passes wouldn’t be closed to anyone traveling with the Elves. They promised to return in the spring, and Che’veyo seemed sure that the Shamans who had argued for a cleansing war would be silenced when the Katsinas spoke against it.