Heir of Pendel (A Pandoran Novel, #4) (47 page)

"The people of Ravenshelm believe the souls of their dead possess the bodies of the ravens, which is why the ravens don't leave," I explained. "The ravens are viewed as the town's guardians."

"
Guardians
who flew away the day before you were attacked." Vera placed one card down then discarded. "And you were able to speak to these…ravens?"

I took my turn as Theon answered her. "I was able to contact them, yes, but not all of them came." Theon observed my move, looked impressed, then drew a card. "I have no idea why they flew away from the city, but as I said before, they haven't gone far. It almost seems as if they're waiting for something."

Theon proceeded to play his entire hand off of Vera's, with one card remaining. Vera's brows turned into a fury of opposing slash marks.

"You might as well get used to it, Vera," I said. "Theon has only a few skills, and losing at Kings isn't one of them."

Theon winked at her, and she scowled. It was her turn, and she promptly set each of her cards down with a crisp
snap-snap-snap
. Theon's eyes widened, and Vera folded her arms smugly over her chest. "Perhaps he should add it to his small list, then. Right next to no hygiene."

Theon gasped, and I chuckled, and Thaddeus appeared in the halo of light. Thaddeus stopped behind Vera, then peered over her shoulder to see the damage on the table. A smile slowly spread.

"V killed you." There was no short amount of pride in his voice. He also looked weary from a day's work.

"Beginner's luck," Theon said.

"That ain't luck, Theology. That's a premeditated massacre."

Theon suddenly looked at Vera, suspicious. "I thought you'd never played this before?"

She shrugged and leaned back. "I haven't. Maybe you should've played closer attention to the game instead of flirting with Alexander."

A few of the men chuckled again.

"Del Can't's pretty irresistible, huh?" Thaddeus interjected. "I lived with him for years; I know. You know what…maybe we don't even need my poison. Maybe we should just have Del Can't saunter out there and—hey!" He rubbed his shoulder where Vera had just punched him, but he was smiling at her. There was a little something extra in his smile today. "Anyway, we're ready."

This seemed to draw everyone back to the task that lay ahead of us.

"They've all come?" Theon asked, picking up the cards.

"Last bunch is eating as we speak. Andrus put out word that he has some meat that's about to go bad and he made extra servings this evening. Word's gotten around to most, and they're having second helpings. Also, I added a pinch of dried
roita
to the stew to help neutralize some of the more toxic actions of the poison—just to be on the safe side. It's great being so far up north. Normally, I'd have to go all the way to Cartone for that stuff, but I found some growing right alongside Andrus's kitchen."

"You went outside?" Vera frowned.

"Just for a second," he said. "Don't worry, no one saw me. Guess it's a good thing I'm not as distracting as Del Can't, eh?" He winked at her.

Vera blushed and looked away.

If Thaddeus noticed, he didn't say anything. "Anyway, there are still a few guards stationed at the gate who haven't come, but like you said—nothing we can't handle. Assuming Del Can't is feeling up to it…?"

"Much better than yesterday," I said.

He looked skeptical. "But well enough to fight?"

"Since we're only fighting off a handful of men…yes."

Thaddeus looked me over a moment, then nodded. "Good. Oh, and you should also know that Andrus took the first bite."

I pinched my lips together. "Just unconscious, though, right…?"

Thaddeus just rolled his eyes.

My chair screeched as I stood. "Has Denn been in?"

"No." Thaddeus scowled. "Rusty's ridden himself off to Astor in search of us."

I frowned. Theon and Vera looked equally disappointed. Apparently, there was quite a line of people who wanted to kill Denn. I didn't care who got him as long as I got my bloody sword back.

As Thaddeus predicted, it took exactly two hours for the guards in the main dining area to show signs of lethargy. Five minutes later, they were out cold—including Andrus, who'd keeled over the table in the kitchens. I walked over, lifted his arm and let go. It dropped on the table with a
thunk
, rattling the dinnerware. I peered out into the hall. There were a handful of guards inside and they'd all slumped forward, head on the table, passed out cold. One even had his head in his plate of food.

"You're welcome, Del Can't," Thaddeus said beside me.

I eyed him. "Is there no end to your vainglory?"

"Nope." He beamed.

It was another ten minutes before Theon's men rapped on the back door, where we waited. Theon eased the door open a crack.

"All clear," whispered one of the guards. "The guards at the gate haven't noticed yet, but it won't be long. We need to hurry before they alert Astor."

"Agreed," Theon said. He looked back at me and I nodded.

The four of us checked our weapons—compliments of Andrus's hidden stores—pulled heavy cowls over our heads, and moved out into the frigid night air. Rain mixed with sleet sluiced down rooftops, pouring in beaded waterfalls over clogged gutters. We were drenched before we even stepped out onto the street. Everything was quiet, except for the rain and distant thunder. The windows and streets were dark, save a few glowing lanterns standing along the street. Hopefully, Theon's contacts had spread word as effectively as they claimed.

Theon led us through the shadows of back alleyways, slow and careful just in case. We bolted across a side street, and I caught a view of the main courtyard. Even from here, the sight of the three crosses was unmistakable. I changed direction and crept slowly along the wall, edging my way to the courtyard to see for myself what Theon had spoken of. I reached the edge of the courtyard and stopped, frozen in horror. There they were, hanging from three crosses—Sir Eldar Halmstad, his wife, Kat, and daughter, Meira, naked and filthy and dead. There was a bundle wrapped up and strapped to Meira, about the size of a baby. My stomach turned over and I ground my knuckles into the wall beside me.

I felt Theon behind me, but I was too horrified to speak. My guts twisted with revulsion. How could anyone be this cruel—this wicked? And that baby…I couldn't even…

Theon placed a hand on my shoulder. "I know." A pause. He swallowed hard. "Come. We have to hurry."

I peeled myself away, fury pumping through my veins as we snuck to the main gate. I couldn't shake the image of them on those crosses. My vision turned red.

Five very awake guards stood patrol on top of the palisades. Bloody bastards. I flexed my hand over the hilt of my weapon. Theon and I exchanged a glance, and the two of us crept quietly up the narrow stairs stationed on either side. I reached the top, waited until Theon appeared on his end, then the two of us struck. Three guards were down within seconds, and I knocked a fourth unconscious as he opened his mouth to yell. The fifth guard charged Theon, but Theon leaned away then delivered a blow. The guard stepped back, right into the point of my sword. I pulled my blade free and kicked the guard from the wall.

Theon wiped his brow and gave me a nod. "I guess you weren't lying. Beauty school doesn't teach you that."

He wasn't smiling, and I didn't laugh.

Thaddeus and Vera joined us on the wall and helped us strip the guards of their weapons and armor, and then the four of us dragged them down to the dungeons and locked them inside. Theon hurried off to free the other prisoners.

"You really planning to lock them all up in here?" Thaddeus asked, wiping his face on the sleeve of his cloak.

"Yes," I said.

"Why not just kill them?"

"Because I'm tired of killing."

"They're Morts, Del Can't," Thaddeus said. "They shouldn't be spared. They wouldn't spare you."

"He's right," Vera said. "We shouldn't let them live."

I stared at the heap of men in the cell, then looked hard between Vera and Thaddeus. "There's been enough death. They stay in the bloody dungeons and you won't lay another finger on them."

Vera and Thaddeus exchanged a look.

"For the love of spirits, Del Can't," Thaddeus said. "It was just a suggestion."

"Mine wasn't."

Thaddeus stared at me, and he didn't say another word.

It wasn't long before Theon arrived with two men, dragging an unconscious guard between the three of them. More and more men began arriving—men Theon had freed from prison—all of them dragging soggy, muddy bodies and throwing them in the dungeons. It had to be nearing three in the morning, but the men of Ravenshelm were wide-eyed and buzzing with energy.

"Is this all of them?" I asked Theon.

"Aye, and we've got roughly thirty suits of armor, four dozen swords and blades, a handful of garrotes, and two dozen flasks, which are in a pile upstairs. Of course, it's the flasks they're all fighting over."

I grinned, but my expression sobered when I thought of his family on the crosses. Theon seemed to have the same thought because his expression fell, too.

"The courtyard?" I asked.

He held my gaze a long moment. "The courtyard."

Theon and I led Thaddeus, Vera, and Theon's men who were present out of the dungeons. A few stayed below to keep an eye on things, but the rest followed, and more and more townsfolk joined our mini-procession as we walked through the streets. The sun was still a few hours away, and I had every intention of ending this horror before it rose. Today, when the sun rose, it would baptize this town in the light of hope.

Theon and I stopped in the courtyard. Lanterns flickered upon the wet cobblestones, rain drizzled in a fine mist, and the people were quiet. There were far more women and children than men, now—a result of Ravenshelm's brutal takeover.

The people gazed solemnly upon the three crosses. It was a family they'd all loved and respected, who'd been slain by barbarians to stand as an example, stationed in the pride of their town in the worst kind of mockery. Slowly, I walked forward with Theon by my side, but the rest of the people—including Thaddeus and Vera—stayed back. A raven flew from the edge of the courtyard and landed on top of Sir Eldar Halmstad's cross. It let out a gurgling croak, and the sound sawed through the silence. I looked at my uncle, my aunt…Meira.

How could they do this to them? How could anyone do this to another human being? I squeezed my eyes shut as my rage and grief swelled within. I knew my family was in a better place now, but the sight of them up there like that…it made me want to vomit.

I glanced back at Theon. He was trying to be so strong, so controlled. "How long have they been up there?" I whispered.

"Today marks the sixth day."

Six days. He'd had to see his family like this for six full days. A rush of anger heated through me. This was one more thing Eris would pay for. I would make sure of it.

I stood quiet beside Theon while the rest of the townsfolk arrived. There had to be at least fifty gathered now. I grabbed Theon's shoulder and squeezed, firmly, encouragingly.

He took a deep breath, then turned to face the people, and the people watched him in expectation. "We need to give my family a proper burial, but we need your help taking them down."

It wasn't long before we had the crosses down, and there was already a bed of pyre ready—large enough for all four bodies. We wiped down their bodies and wrapped them in wools and furs offered by members of the crowd. People brought gifts of dried flowers and herbs. One elderly lady dipped her thumb in a perfumed oil that she wiped on each of the four foreheads. As the people paid their respects, more ravens flew in, taking perch around the edges of the courtyard, watching us.

I, too, took a moment to give my respects to my uncle, aunt, and cousins. Sir Eldar Halmstad was a good man—good to his family and to his people, and the people had loved him. My Aunt Kat's resemblance to my father was uncanny, and it was hard seeing her in death, like some ill-fated premonition of my father's own end. My chest tightened. And Meira and her baby…both too young to be taken from this world. My eyes burned and anger boiled deep in my belly.
How dare they.

There was a sudden gust of air, and another raven landed at the edge of the pyre, right inside Meira's palm. It touched there only a moment, then flew off, circled around our small company and back into the night, as though it had just snatched Meira's spirit from the living world.

Once the last of the townsfolk paid their respects, Theon lit the torch. He said a prayer to the spirits, asking for peace for his family and for the strength to avenge the wrongs done, and then he touched the flame to the pyre. It erupted in a swell of orange so hot, I felt it from where I stood ten yards back. Silence filled the courtyard as the flames consumed the pyre, and the air smelled strongly of camphor and woodsmoke.

Theon stood beside me, the light of the fire burning in his eyes as though it came from somewhere deep within. "Help me…help me make them pay for this."

I didn't answer him. I didn't need to.

30

ALEXANDER

W
e left for Astor on the third day.

It took two full days to gather all the supplies we'd need and divvy them up amidst the people, but we also needed to rest—including me. Thaddeus had worked wonders on the injuries I'd incurred from Denn, but the extra few days seemed to heal them completely.

I spent a good deal of time interviewing the handful of guards who'd served under Denn but were loyal to Theon. They didn't have much information to add, other than confirm that Lord Tosca was being held prisoner in Astor. They didn't know how many men had survived the battle at Astor, or what had been done with possible survivors. I believed that if Ravenshelm had had survivors, then Astor would, too. I told Theon my plan to take back Astor. He didn't like it, but he also couldn't come up with a safer alternative.

We had about forty prisoners in Ravenshelm's dungeons, thanks to Thaddeus's barghest poison. Those prisoners would remain in those dungeons until the war ended, and then we'd figure out what to do with them. In the meantime, some of the women volunteered to give them food and water while the men—and a few women—went off to war.