The Eyes of God (71 page)
Authors: John Marco
“Boy, with diamonds you could buy a house full of servants to bring you things. You don’t need a stinking monkey!”
Gilwyn was about to speak when a new voice rang through the room.
“You can’t buy everything, my dear.”
A figure crossed the threshold, a giant of a man dressed in a black leather jerkin and tall black riding boots. He had a face like granite, with a gray-speckled beard and a pair of smoldering eyes. The left sleeve of his snow-white shirt looped up to his shoulder, pinned and armless. The mere sight of him wiped the venom from Jazana Carr’s face.
“Thorin,” she said excitedly. “You’re back.”
She went to him at once, forgetting her guests and their argument, throwing her arms around the man and peppering his bearded face with kisses. The man circled his single arm around her waist, drawing her near.
“Rodrik told me we had visitors from Liiria,” he said. “I thought I should come at once.”
Gilwyn stared at the man, purely fascinated. He wasn’t Lukien, surely, yet he had the presence of a hero. His piercing eyes met Gilwyn’s.
“You, boy,” he boomed. “What’s your name?”
Gilwyn could barely find his voice. “My name is Gilwyn Toms.”
“Gilwyn Toms,” the man repeated. “Well, Toms, I am—”
“Thorin Glass,” said Breck. He was still standing, staring at the stranger. “I don’t bloody believe it.”
“Do you know me, sir?” asked the big man.
Gilwyn looked at Breck in amazement. “Do you, Breck?”
Breck nodded. “I think I do. You’re Baron Glass.”
The one-armed man grinned. “Ah, now that’s a title that no longer applies.” He guided Jazana Carr toward the table. She clung to him adoringly. “And you?” he asked. “What’s your name?”
“I’m Breck. Baron, I thought you were dead!”
“And I very nearly was, no thanks to your king.” The man studied Breck carefully. “Breck you say?”
“You know me, sir. I was a Royal Charger under Captain Lukien.”
The man nodded as he recalled the name and face. “Yes,” he said softly. “I remember you.”
Gilwyn was stupefied. “Baron Glass? But how can that be? Baron Glass died on the Isle of Woe.”
“Correction, boy,” said the one-armed man. “
Nearly
died.”
Nearly
died.”
“But how?” asked Breck. “Sir, this is a shock!”
Jazana Carr led Glass to her giant chair, bidding him to sit. She took her own wine goblet and put it gently into his hand. “Thorin, these two are looking for Lukien.”
Glass’ face lost his humor. “Lukien? Why?”
“We have a message for him,” said Breck. “It’s urgent.” Then he shook his head, still reeling with astonishment. “I can’t believe it. It really is you. How’s that possible?”
“You have a thousand questions, I know,” said Glass. “And I’ll tell you my ugly tale. But first. . . .” He put the goblet to his lips and drank its contents in a long quaff. “Fate above, I’m thirsty. More.” Snapping his fingers brought a servant from the corner, who silently refilled his goblet before disappearing. Another servant brought out a chair for Jazana Carr, seating her beside Glass.
“Breck, I’m confused,” said Gilwyn. He watched Glass as he spoke, studying him “I thought Baron Glass was banished to Woe.”
“He was,” said Breck. He, too, kept his eyes on the baron. “First Borior Prison, then the Isle.”
“All true,” said Glass. “I rotted in Borior for two years until my sentence was up. Then I was to swing from the gallows. Your Queen Cassandra intervened.” Glass looked into his wine pensively. “A good woman. I suppose I should be grateful. She thought banishment on Woe was better than death. She couldn’t possibly have known the horror on that barren rock.”
“But you escaped,” said Breck. “How?”
“Lukien,” replied Glass. He put down his glass and took Jazana Carr’s jeweled hand. The warlady smiled at him, her teeth like sunshine. “He was already in Jazana’s employ by then. He heard about my banishment and saved me.”
Gilwyn was astonished. “He went to Woe?”
“He did, with a handful of Jazana’s men. They hired a ship and a crew that wouldn’t talk, thanks to this dear woman.” Glass lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. Jazana Carr melted at the gesture. “It wasn’t easy but they found me,” he went on. “Half dead I was, a skeleton from my days in Borior and the hot sun of Woe. Fate above, that island’s a giant hearth. It ripped the skin right off me.”
“And then they brought you here,” said Jazana Carr gently. “To me.”
“I have Lukien to thank for my life,” said Glass. “He rescued me because he’s loyal, and because he thought I deserved a better death than the one Akeela had planned for me.”
“He always thought highly of you,” added Breck with a nod. “He’s a remarkable man.”
Jazana Carr chuckled. “I have found that all Liirian men are remarkable.” Her tongue darted out and playfully licked Glass’ ear. “You’d be amazed at what a one-armed man can do in bed.”
Glass cleared his throat in embarrassment. “Jazana, stop now.”
“Why, sweetling?” she asked, caressing his chest. “They’ve already guessed we’re lovers.” She smiled proudly at her guests. “Lukien brought a great prize back from the Isle of Woe.”
Glass hurried to change the subject. “And now you’re looking for him? Why?”
“We have news for him, Baron Glass,” said Gilwyn.
“News we can’t share with you,” Breck hurried to add.
Jazana Carr’s expression turned gloomy again. “You hear? They flaunt their secrets in my face.”
“Easy, love,” bade Glass. He looked at Breck carefully. “You and the boy have come a long way. Obviously your news is important. But we have trusted you with our identities. Surely you can trust us with your news.”
Breck shook his head. “Sorry, Baron, no. What we have to say is for Lukien only. Jazana Carr has already told us he’s on his way back here. When he arrives, we’ll deliver our message and be on our way.”
“And if my hospitality dries up before then?” asked Carr acidly. “What will you do? Rot in the wasteland outside?”
“Jazana, please,” said Glass calmly. “No need to threaten. We’ll let them stay until Lukien returns.”
“Thorin. . . .”
“I owe Lukien a debt, let’s not forget. If these two have news for him, then we must treat them as his friends.”
Jazana Carr began to smoulder beneath her many gems. Through gritted teeth she said, “As you wish.”
Gilwyn had never seen anything like it. Glass’ ability to tame her was amazing. “Thank you, my lady,” he said, trying to appease her. “We appreciate your hospitality.”
“Jazana, why don’t you leave us now?” said Glass. “I’d like to catch up with Breck alone, if you don’t mind.”
Again the anger flashed through Carr’s eyes, but only for a moment. She rose from her chair, leaned down and kissed Glass on the forehead. “As you wish.”
Gilwyn watched the elegant woman drift out of the chamber without another word, astonished by Glass’ power over her. Glass saw the amazement in his face.
“She loves me,” he explained. The words came out in a burdensome sigh. “That’s why she listens to me.”
“I bet you’re the only one that can talk to her like that,” said Breck.
Glass nodded. “Not even Lukien, though she loves him too, in a way.”
“Really?” asked Breck in surprise. “She doesn’t seem to care much for men.”
“Oh, she’s got an appetite for them.”
“That’s not what I mean,” countered Breck.
Glass nodded. “I know what you mean. And you’re right. But don’t judge her too harshly. Jazana has spent her life in Norvor, remember, and Norvor is not a place that’s kind to women. Men have beaten and betrayed her. She doesn’t trust them.”
“Yet you work for her?” asked Breck.
“In a manner of speaking. She has many men working for her, but none with my experience in military matters. I’m valuable to her, as is Lukien.” Before he continued he ordered the servants out of the room, along with the lute player. As the musician retreated, Glass barked, “And close the doors.”
Alone at last, Gilwyn relaxed a little. Breck continued shaking his head, still amazed by the baron’s presence. Glass poured himself another goblet of wine.
“You’re troubled,” he said. “I can see it in your eyes.”
“You work for her, and yet she plans to attack Liiria someday,” said Breck. “Yes, I’m sorry, Baron. That does trouble me.”
“But should it really surprise you? After what Akeela did to me? After what he did to Lukien?”
Breck was unmoved. “How long has she been planning this?”
“Forever,” said Glass sourly. “Maybe that’s why she let Lukien save me, I don’t know. But it’s why she values me so highly, and why she wants you to join her, Breck. Even the boy, if she can find a use for him.”
“But Liiria’s too powerful,” said Gilwyn. “There’s no way she could defeat them, not even with all her riches.”
“Don’t underestimate her, boy. Jazana is richer than you think, and she’s been pushing King Lorn hard these last two years. One day she’ll defeat him. And when she does, she’ll finally fulfill her use to me.”
The statement disgusted Gilwyn. “So you’re just using her, then?”
“Like she’s using me,” sneered Glass. Then he softened, saying, “All right, she loves me. But she knows I’m valuable to her. Would she love me so much otherwise, I wonder?”
“I can’t believe it,” said Breck sadly. “You’ve wasted all these years, working with this terrible woman just so you can have your revenge on Akeela? What about your family, Baron?”
“My family is forfeit,” said Glass. “They were lost to me the moment Akeela sent me to Borior. How could I ever return to them? Akeela would have them killed. He promised me that, your gracious king. Jazana Carr gives me hope. She’s ambitious, but she’s also patient. She knows she can’t defeat Trager’s army, not yet. But once she defeats Lorn—and she will—she’ll have a real army to command, and all the riches of Norvor. And then we’ll have a chance.”
“That’s treachery,” said Breck.
“It is not!” Glass thundered. “After what Akeela did to me, it is justice!”
“And Lukien?” asked Breck. “He goes along with this?”
“Why shouldn’t he? He has a score to settle with Akeela, just as I do.”
Gilwyn gave Breck a sideways glance.
“Baron,” said Breck carefully, “how much about Lukien do you really know?”
“I know as much as you do, I’m sure,” said Glass. “Lukien’s love for Cassandra is no secret to me, nor to Jazana Carr.”
“And that’s all you know?” Breck asked.
Glass looked puzzled. “What else is there?”
Breck shrugged off the question. “Not much. As I said, we’ve things to discuss with Lukien. Alone.”
“And you’ll get your chance,” said Glass. “I owe that to Lukien. But be warned, both of you—Jazana Carr will not be keen to let you leave, especially now that you know her designs. I can protect you from her because she listens to me, but she can be quite tempting. She’ll let you speak to Lukien, but if you try to take him away, there’ll be trouble.” The baron paused. “Will you take him away?”
“That will be up to him,” said Breck.
The answer seemed to satisfy Glass. His one arm reached across the table and dragged a platter of sliced meat toward him. “Then let’s eat,” he said, “and have no more talk of this until Lukien arrives.”
For the next hour Breck and Glass ate and exchanged histories, saying almost nothing about Lukien or the mission that had brought them here. Gilwyn listened to the banter, unable to eat, pensively feeding Teku bits of fruit. He admired Breck’s casual calm, but couldn’t share it. He was frightened of Jazana Carr and he missed Figgis terribly. More than anything, he wanted to go home.
36
L
ukien had taken his time returning to Hanging Man. Along with Travis and the others, he had ridden out of Disa the day after the battle—once they had buried their dead and satisfied themselves that the remains of Colonel Ness’ army had scattered. The forests around Disa were quiet for the first time in weeks. So Lukien and his fellows had headed north from Disa at dawn, making their way deliberately toward Hanging Man but taking the time to enjoy the peace of the road. Halfway to their destination, Lukien had sent the others on ahead of him. They had stopped for the night in a place called Calane, a small farming village with windmills and sheep and acres of rich, pungent soil. The next morning when they were to depart, Lukien simply couldn’t bear another day on the road. He wanted desperately to remain in the village just a little while longer, to partake of its simple hospitality and be far away from soldiers and their talk of battle. Travis and the others had ridden off without him, assured that he would follow in a day or so. After enjoying Calane for two more days, Lukien kept his promise. He paid the family who had put him up for his brief holiday, then headed north again toward Hanging Man.
ukien had taken his time returning to Hanging Man. Along with Travis and the others, he had ridden out of Disa the day after the battle—once they had buried their dead and satisfied themselves that the remains of Colonel Ness’ army had scattered. The forests around Disa were quiet for the first time in weeks. So Lukien and his fellows had headed north from Disa at dawn, making their way deliberately toward Hanging Man but taking the time to enjoy the peace of the road. Halfway to their destination, Lukien had sent the others on ahead of him. They had stopped for the night in a place called Calane, a small farming village with windmills and sheep and acres of rich, pungent soil. The next morning when they were to depart, Lukien simply couldn’t bear another day on the road. He wanted desperately to remain in the village just a little while longer, to partake of its simple hospitality and be far away from soldiers and their talk of battle. Travis and the others had ridden off without him, assured that he would follow in a day or so. After enjoying Calane for two more days, Lukien kept his promise. He paid the family who had put him up for his brief holiday, then headed north again toward Hanging Man.
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