Scrivener's Tale (59 page)

She frowned. ‘Burrage was —'

‘On his balcony,' Cassien interrupted softly.

Florentyna blinked in consternation; Cassien was right. The animals, the people who'd died had all for some reason been moving or sleeping outside of the palace proper.

‘This is clearly a heavy burden for Cassien,' Tilda finally said, eyeing him. Florentyna wondered what her intense look meant. Cassien hadn't noticed and the queen couldn't read the nuances dancing around her. ‘He has been charged to hold your life as the most precious in the realm … and at the expense of others. He should not be blamed.'

‘So any of us could have died?' Florentyna pressed.

They nodded together.

‘How did you think your roaming might protect me?' she demanded. ‘I mean, explain to me how the risk of killing was worth it.'

He nodded, understanding entirely her sense of despair. ‘In that magical plane, I would have seen the one who hunts you.'

Tilda sat back and stared at Cassien in wonder. Florentyna privately wondered at so much being revealed in front of a stranger. It was obvious Tilda knew about Cassien's skill before Florentyna was told, but even so, surely Cyricus and his threat were to be kept secret.

Cassien shook his head, easily reading her thoughts. ‘Tilda knows that we are moving you away from the palace and that there is someone who wishes death to the royals.' There was a hidden message in his words. So, he hadn't told Tilda about the demon, but was letting the herbwoman think the threat was a person.

Florentyna glanced at Tilda and could see her eyes narrowing as she considered Cassien. ‘I didn't know you could use your roaming magic to find this killer. If you know who it is, why do you need an ethereal plane to see him?'

Florentyna didn't know why her instincts were screaming at her to assist Cassien in keeping their real purpose secret, but she interjected to help obscure and distract. ‘Shar, but this is beyond my ability to reason. My sister always said magic was dangerous.'

‘And she's right,' Tilda said. Again Florentyna saw her regard Cassien speculatively.

He looked up. ‘Are you coming with us, Tilda?'

The older woman shook her head. ‘You can move quicker and with less notice as a couple. I must go now. Please,' she said, standing and holding a hand up, ‘don't disturb yourselves. I promise our paths will cross again. You trust me, don't you, Cassien?'

He looked surprised to be asked. ‘I'll look for you.'

She nodded, turned to Florentyna. ‘I'd like to kiss your hand, but dare not. Be safe.'

‘How can I be otherwise with Cassien at my side,' she replied, and threw him an affectionate glance.

Tilda left and the dinch was served. Florentyna suggested they drink the spare cup that Tilda would not be taking. She was surprised the woman hadn't at least remained for that. She noticed Cassien didn't meet the serving girl's gaze on this occasion.

‘Odd,' she remarked to herself, then looked up brightly at her companion. ‘Do you know, I've never had dinch before,' she admitted, giving a satisfied sigh. ‘It's wonderful.'

He smiled. ‘I have tasted it only rarely.'

‘You are a strange one, Cassien.'

‘I'm sure of it. Forgive me.'

‘Don't be silly.' She reached to touch his hand and he moved it as if scalded. Florentyna frowned. ‘I meant that you engage my curiosity because you have led such a different life to mine and to everyone I know.'

He looked away, back to the path that their companion had recently left by. ‘What did you mean about Tilda?'

She blinked. ‘Tilda. What did I say?'

‘That it was strange.'

‘Ah, no, I didn't say strange, I said “odd”. I simply meant it was curious that she seemed so friendly — and informed. She joined us for soup and dinch, then disappeared suddenly before the dinch was served.' She shrugged. ‘Odd.'

‘You know her better than I.'

‘No, not really. I've met her on two occasions. I have always liked her brews but I don't know anything much about her.'

‘I see. I was under the impression that you and she were friendly.'

Florentyna shrugged. ‘I take her infusions and that's it. I pay a premium and she makes up one especially to my taste. She seems to know when my supplies are low and delivers my leaves to the kitchens. Burrage's orders.' Florentyna frowned. ‘You knew she would be here?'

He shook his head. ‘At the palace she mentioned that she would take a direct route north. She made me press her for the information but I did feel she wanted me to ask and then her reply felt like an invitation, but nothing so clearly stated.'

‘Do you doubt her?'

She watched Cassien thinking deeply. She allowed the silence between them to lengthen as his eyebrows knitted in thought. ‘Not until you just asked me.'

Florentyna leaned forward. ‘What does that mean?'

His gaze snapped up to meet hers. ‘Until moments ago I would have considered Tilda an ally.'

‘And now?'

He shrugged. ‘I also think it odd that she left so abruptly.'

‘Cassien, speak plainly. My impression is that we're running for our lives, so it's best we are clear with each other.'

He shook his head. ‘I have nothing to say about her. She knows nothing, only that we are running for your life.'

She finished her dinch and wanted to drink Tilda's, but decided that might be greedy. She gestured at it to Cassien. He shook his head.

‘You're so restrained, Cassien,' she said, referring to everything about him.

But he believed she meant his appetite. ‘The forest taught me to eat and drink only what my body needed. It's habit now,' he said softly.

‘Do you believe your life is not important?'

He straightened to dig in his pocket for some coins. ‘I believe it has a purpose, certainly. But no, it's not important.'

She looked at him bemused, shook her head. ‘I've been raised in the opposite manner, to believe my life is of the highest importance.'

‘It is. But I'm glad it hasn't made you indifferent to others.'

‘My father would not have permitted that.'

‘He did with Darcelle.'

She eyed him. ‘Darcelle is … was … indulged. We are all at fault there. However, for all her spoilt ways, she was an asset and no-one could question her loyalty to the Crown. Have you registered how everyone is suddenly eyeing you differently?'

He nodded. ‘Since they noticed my sword, you mean?'

‘So you do know.'

‘I take in everything about my surrounds.'

She smiled and frowned at the same time. ‘I'm not sure whether you're immodest or honest.'

He looked wounded. ‘I state only what I know to be true.'

Florentyna put her hands up in mock defeat. ‘We should go. I think we're making the other patrons feel uncomfortable.'

‘I am not the first swordsman who has sat down to a pot of dinch.'

‘The first perhaps who looks as you do.' When he looked back at her in query, she shrugged. ‘You are intimidating, Cassien, on a number of levels.'

‘Good. If everyone keeps away from you, I am happy.'

She grinned. ‘That sounds very possessive.' It was meant as a jest to lighten their conversation, give them the right moment to stand and glance over at the others with a smile before they left. Instead, his expression only deepened in its seriousness.

‘If you were the only person I could ever speak to, it would be enough,' he said, his gaze grave and intense.

She held her breath, for as he'd spoken — his careful words making her feel suddenly awkward — she understood why she didn't react to him as others seemed to. And the reason was so shocking, she'd caught that single breath and was now too fearful to let it go … and with it the acceptance of what she'd been hiding from.

‘Florentyna?' he murmured, suddenly concerned by the way she fixated on the pot of dinch and was silent.

‘Forgive me,' she said, gathering her scattered thoughts and trying to find a smile. ‘I …'

‘No, I'm sorry for speaking so plainly. I thought …' he stammered, unsure for once. ‘I thought candour is what you demanded of me.'

‘Oh, Cassien, the fault is mine. It's just … I've realised something and the honesty of it is painful.'

‘Can I help?'

She gave a small gasp of a laugh. ‘Shar, no!'

He guided her away from the dinch-house, toward where he'd tethered two new horses. ‘You spoke of honesty. Perhaps it is your turn?'

She cut him a look of reprimand but then realised he was right. This man was prepared to lay down his life for her, not even question why or when, simply that he would give it should that need arise. Florentyna swallowed. ‘It's Tamas.'

‘The king will be careful. I'm sure —' He stopped at her horse and looked at her with an unreadable expression. ‘Ah, you meant something else, didn't you, your majesty?'

She nodded. ‘I thought I'd put it behind me.'

‘You have feelings for Tamas?'

‘They frighten me. I've had them under very strict control. I really didn't think they'd burst through the defences,' she said, with an embarrassed smile. ‘I'm sorry …'

‘Don't be. He has no bride to consider anymore.'

‘That sounds so heartless.' She looked away, hating herself.

‘It's honest. I didn't mean to make you feel in any way ill at ease. You should know that I could not and would not permit myself to let my feelings go any further. There is another woman.' He shrugged. ‘I was simply stating the truth. If you were the only person left in the world, it would be enough to converse with you. You are wise, calm, amusing when you want to be and you are educated. Besides, any interest I showed in you, my queen, defies the law of the Brotherhood.'

She frowned. ‘Celibacy?'

Cassien found a smile. ‘No, thank Shar! No wives, no permanent relationships. No family. We are not permitted to have long-term distractions, and women and children are precisely that; they compromise our emotions and ability to act decisively, swiftly.' He helped her up onto her horse and handed her the reins before climbing easily onto his mount. ‘You're still happy to ride through the night?'

She nodded as he guided his horse to the path that would lead them out of the hamlet. Florentyna followed. ‘It looks daunting,' she said, nodding toward the blackness stretching beyond the soft glow that the hilltop town threw on the path for a short way.

‘We will have to pick our way slowly,' he said, looking up. ‘But with luck, the moon will come out from behind those clouds and smile her light our way. Then we can move faster.'

She moved her horse into step with his and they set off companionably, winding their way down the hill.

‘Cassien, if it's any consolation, you make me feel safe … you give me confidence.'

He gave her a rueful smile. ‘That is a rich compliment to a member of the Brotherhood. And, strangely perhaps, it is enough for me to know I have achieved this. You and I, as long as I live, will always be friends, I hope.'

‘We shall. I give you my word.'

‘Then that will keep my heart full … and Tamas is a lucky man.'

She blushed in the dark furiously. ‘Tamas has no idea.'

‘How long have you known?'

‘Since I was a child of about eleven.'

He cut her a sharp look of surprise. ‘Truly?'

She nodded, glad he couldn't see how hot her cheeks must look, for they felt like they were burning. ‘He didn't come to Stoneheart. He wasn't even meant to be visiting Morgravia, but his ship was in trouble and had to limp into the Grenadyn Islands. My father and I happened to be in Racklaryon at the time — that's in the Razors. We got word that Ciprean royalty was on our doorstep unannounced. My father was a gracious man, Cassien, and often didn't stand on ceremony. He stopped his meetings, cancelled his tour of the Razors and raced to the islands to see what help could be given to the stricken ship. Tamas barely noticed the shy daughter of the king who greeted him. But I noticed him; I even sat on his lap once,' she confided with an embarrassed giggle. ‘And my candle has burned for him ever since, you could say,' she finished, sighing. ‘We met once more, when I was about fourteen, but I was so cringingly shy of my feelings that I found it easier to ignore him. I couldn't even look upon him for fear of disgracing myself. I've always felt sad about that, because Tamas has always been so kind to me. There, now we've each swapped our dark secrets!'

‘How did you face him on this trip?'

‘There's something about becoming a ruler that instils confidence, or at least one learns very quickly how to school one's features into obedience. He can't guess because I've become adept at hiding and managed to adopt an easy, sisterly approach. Just standing next to him, though, makes me feel weak,' she admitted. ‘Forgive me for burdening you but it does feel good to admit it to another.'

‘Nothing to forgive. I sensed there was something between you both but it is not my place to ponder it. But he doesn't know? I mean, when Darcelle —'

‘No!' She knew her expression was horrified. ‘Absolutely not. Darcelle never knew about my feelings and Tamas certainly has no idea.'

‘But when she told you … I mean surely you —'

‘No. I didn't … couldn't. She was in love with him. And he with her, by all accounts. Plus, it was a perfect union for Morgravia.'

‘I don't understand. Why didn't you pursue him?'

‘I was fourteen summers, Cassien! And I was a shy child to boot. I became more introverted and Darcelle was so extroverted she seemed the perfect ambassador for the Crown. She begged me to let her go to Cipres and represent Morgravia one year. I wanted to go, desperately … I wanted him to see me as a woman rather than a stammering mooncalf. You have to understand that I had been promised to another and I was fond of him. I could never tell my father that I loved the Ciprean. Don't ask why. It was all too complicated at the time. My feelings were torn but I had learned to control them entirely, to bury them.'