Shadow Over Avalon (37 page)

“Our pet Shade got a wound from your blade last cold season,” Saffron, a blond brother with flat eyes suggested.

“She’s a sister for hells’ sakes!” Copper roared.

“Shadow is, or was, also an active member of our force. She shared in spring training.” Saffron’s face set in hard lines. “We want proof.”

“Shall I describe the shape of the burn you wear from being branded? Shall newcomers know where you wear it?” Shadow suggested to Saffron with a sweet smile. She met his challenge until he dropped his eyes, defeated.

“The pretty boys come with us.” Copper gestured at the Submariners with dyed faces. “Where is our hostage?”

At a sharp whistle, Tarvi marched over the dunes, flanked by three guards. He waved a welcome to those he recognized, and looked over at more colorful members of the company.

“Where’s Helga?” Saffron demanded. In the sudden hush, every Brethren face turned to Copper, cold expressions on all.

“Recovering in the city of Shades. Ector will bring her along with more reinforcements one week from now. She won’t need her veils anymore.” Copper looked into Saffron’s narrowed eyes.
“If
you can spare some from this great host, they’ll be needed to act as guides to Haven.
Where is Rowan?”

“At High Fort, trying to find out who’s stirring up trouble we don’t need.”

“Someone misbehaved?”

“Not that I could see, and I questioned all of them.” Saffron made a sweeping gesture at the Brethren. “We all drifted to High Fort when we left Haven because we reckoned we might pick up work after the wedding of Alsar’s son last year. The timing is about right for a birth celebration, but we found ourselves unwelcome. Dragon was there, and Rowan has tried to talk to him alone for the past week without any luck—Alsar seems very lonesome for the Black Duke’s company for some reason. Rowan didn’t think there was much point us trying other forts until he’s found out more. He thought we’d better camp out here in case you needed help.”

“Change of plans, Marvic,” Copper called to the Submariner strike leader, waving him over to join them. “Shadow and I must make a necessary detour. We’ll catch up with you later.”

“Copper, Dragon thinks she’s dead,” Saffron cautioned. “Taking her may bend him out of shape.”

“I need her along. Marvic will explain why. Have someone bring our horses. I’d like to make a start while we still have moonlight.” He paused while Saffron signed to a brother some way back from the shore. “I want everyone regrouping at Haven. Travel in parties of five brothers to one fish-man, except for Rowan’s group, and yours, Saffron. Both of you get two apiece—make sure you stick close to them for your own protection.”

“Do you still want all of us looking alike before we start?” Marvic asked.

“No, find time as you journey. Oh, and Marvic, your men won’t reach Haven all at the same time—don’t fret about it. Both of you see that this horde splits as soon as possible.”

Brethren grouped to Saffron’s brisk commands. Submariners began moving equipment off the shoreline to Marvic’s orders. The beach became an organized departure zone with the integration of two groups. Shadow caught a glimpse of Tarvi walking into the waves with the return crew as she turned to follow Copper.

The pair rode through the night until the moon began to set. Copper called a halt in a well-sheltered glade with a small stream running through the center.

Still mounted, Shadow waited while he checked the area, too lost in her own thoughts to consider offering help. She didn’t understand why she’d been dragged along to a meeting where Dragon might catch sight of her, when Copper had gone to so much effort before to keep them apart. It didn’t make sense.

A hand on her shin focused her attention; Copper reached up to help her dismount. His arms closed around her once she gained ground, bringing her into a close embrace when she turned. Startled by his action, Shadow tried scanning, knowing she’d only get basic emotion.
Anger, sadness and a sense of being trapped.
He stiffened at her intrusion. His hands snaked up to her ears, feeling her head behind them. He must have expected to find a new implant, one that would let her pick through Brethren minds like Ector could. His hands dropped to her shoulders as his frown cleared.

“You know?” she asked, surprised by his suspicions.

“Ector told me. He thought we’d deal better with no secrets. I trust him in my mind—not you. I needed to know whether the time you’d spent by yourself was used to enhance snooping.”

“A very unflattering opinion,” she said, feeling offended.

“True, though regrettable. You do snoop.”

“Your defense posture shows you’re hiding something,” Shadow said.

“Pass me your bedding roll. I’ve found a place for a few hours’ sleep,” he said, ignoring her remark.

Shadow unstrapped it, passing the roll over to him with a withering look lost in sudden gloom when the moon passed behind a cloud. He’d already hobbled her mount while she sat in a daydream, and now he led her to the area he’d selected. She heard him arrange their sleeping rolls and blundered toward the sound of his voice as he called her to rest. As before, he’d placed their bedding for shared use. This time he didn’t radiate the welcome heat she’d come to appreciate. She moved closer for warmth, grateful as he fitted himself close. A disturbing thought occurred.

“You didn’t meditate.” She hoped he intended to keep his brotherly role.

“It’s too darn cold to concentrate. No one told me I’d lose my heat when I had fertility restored. I’d have liked knowing in advance that I could freeze to death.”

“Could’ve asked. Medi-techs always give an honest answer.”

“So, I forgot. I’m stuck among impossible-looking things I can’t—don’t even want to understand, and I’m expected to remember little details.”

“Why are we fighting?” she asked, puzzled by it.

“
I’m
not. Why are you on edge? The tension I felt from you, still feel, is the same level as at our capture of you and Ector last year.”

“Why am I riding to High Fort when Dragon is there?” she countered.

“Because I need a gifted telepath.”

“Again, why?”

“Ector didn’t tell you? Don’t Shades talk to each other? Exchanging information is fairly important. No . . . don’t even bother answering. Ector and I worked out why there are so few fey brothers surviving. It seems we are a bad luck charm to lure Harvesters. Ector reckons we’d be safe enough in the open if we had a high-ranking telepath with us. Rowan doesn’t know his risk—I wanted the best we’d got for both of us.”

“Then I don’t have to meet with Dragon?”

“Not if I can avoid it, you won’t. It’s doubtful he’d recognize you from a distance now, and I want Rowan out of High with whatever information he’s managed to extract.”

Shadow thought this through. It seemed logical, if not enough to explain his unease with her. “Are we arguing over my difference again?”

“No.”

“Then what?”

“Did you forget I’m fey when you started the mission I felt begin in Avalon? Did you think I wouldn’t notice if your life was in danger? We’re going to fight because I’m withdrawing you from active listing.”

“Copper, that’s unjust. It’s possible I might earn a certain degree of punishment for invading an area not open to casual visits . . . if I’m caught on record. Since this didn’t happen before we left Avalon, I assume it will wait until I try again. I won’t bother unless I find a very compelling reason to return. There is no more danger for me here than there was before.”

“Yes, there is. The sensation is even stronger on the surface. Something hunts. Are those fish-men really to be trusted?”

“Ector’s vanguard didn’t include any seers.” Shadow nestled against him, satisfied he was going to behave. “They won’t volunteer for surface assignment if they think they might be in personal danger. Maybe they’ll hold back until they get a detailed report on Harvesters in the frenzied pursuit of fey brothers? Seers are those who are going to be seriously upset with me. The others wouldn’t be affected beyond mild amusement.”

“You’re still not permitted to leave my side.”

“That’s a relief. I thought you decided I couldn’t leave Haven.”

“I have. Fey brothers will have specialized outside duties from now on. I won’t be visiting any forts either, so you’ll be sharing my banishment.”

“You’re giving up on acquisitions?” Shocked, Shadow started to sit up, but he pulled her back. She couldn’t believe he’d leave new Brethren to a sad fate.

“I’ll concentrate exclusively on them,” Copper said. “We’ll keep outside forts until we figure a new way to shield. We’ll have to, or risk looking very odd, wandering around in inseparable twosomes.”

“With one of you fey, priests are going to suspect the other. It’s going to tell them we know who they target. I take your point.”

The ghostly shape of a huge white owl flew overhead, dropping suddenly, followed by the sounds of some small animal screaming.

“We’d better hold another strategy meeting when Ector arrives at Haven. Once we learn to work together, we’ll have more idea on tactics, but giving up acquisitions isn’t an option, not when we constantly lose manpower.” He sighed into her hair. “Then there’s Rowan’s input to sift through. Let’s try for some sleep before we tackle more problems.”

Copper settled into a deep sleep, but Shadow lay fretting over restriction. Now that she’d found one way into a Harvester inner sanctum, she’d planned on searching for more. Getting a force right to the heart of their nest solved the problem of luring a ship into the open and perhaps catching one of the beasts intact. If she worked Ector round to her plan, then he could convince Copper . . . those two ganged up far too much for her liking. Alternatively, exploring the remains of ancient cities appealed, if she were banned from forts for a while. Neither of them could object, since neither knew what she’d discovered in the bowels of Avalon. With this satisfying thought, Shadow allowed sleep to come.

The next morning they breakfasted together on Brethren journey fare, after sleeping through sunrise. Copper figured they’d create less stir if they entered High Fort at a busy time. Shadow worked on an alternative plan once they started out, having it figured just as High Fort appeared in sight over the crest of a hill. She grabbed Copper’s reins, bringing him up short.

“Change of plans,” she told him. “Rowan comes to us.”

“How? The threat level remains constant—it would reduce if we stayed out of High.”

“This might not work. I’ll need your help to break through the shield of his earring, and then there’s that noise.”

“What noise?” His face revealed his total ignorance.

“Inside forts . . . the noise that makes speaking difficult, or do earrings counteract that, too? I didn’t notice last time I visited, I was rather busy trying to leave.”

“Shadow, I’ve never heard any noise, with or without an earring.”

“Ask a Shade when you get one inside. I wonder if I’m alone, or they will hear, too.”

“You’re going to call Rowan to us? Let’s see if it works.” He dismounted, hobbling his horse.

Shadow decided to go with his instinct, since they broke new ground. Once they’d removed earrings, she reached out to place her hands on either side of his head. He’d opened totally to her. She seeped into the area of his mind where precognition ruled, hoping to find the extra strength she might need. Nothing prepared her for the sudden blending of their separate talents; no amount of fighting prevented a terrifying union forming. For one instant they shared a single soul, a barrier withered before combined force. Contact established. It took every ounce of will either of them possessed to separate. Both of them trembled with the effort as they came apart.

“Are you all right?” she asked, feeling she needed a week of sleep.

“No. Linking with you is too intense.” He looked away from her. “I think I’m going to have problems with this joining.”

“Copper . . . I didn’t mean to snoop. For what it’s worth, I’m truly sorry.” Somehow she found the courage to face him. “Whether it was using your new implant or maybe the linkage became . . . involved because your fey quality joined with my psi power for whatever reason . . .”

“Now you know I love you.” He smiled that slow, sad smile peculiar to Brethren.

Shadow answered with one of her own. Harvesters took everything from them except pain, thinking to destroy them, not knowing they smiled because they could still feel enough to laugh at fate. Just as uncomfortable as Copper, she accepted he’d had access to her deepest thoughts, knew emotional contact with others terrified her. Somehow they had to work through this intimate knowledge to be comfortable with each other again.

“Pax, Copper?” she offered.

“Aye, pax. It’s a start.” He seemed about to say more, but his eyes became fixed with a look Shadow recognized. It lasted many heartbeats, and then he shook himself. “The sense of threat to us lessens. Time flows in a different path.”

“Rowan comes?”

“I think so. The suggestion you sent of needing clear spring water was overpowering. I confess I feel thirsty. Why didn’t you send him an image of us at this location?”