The King's Sword (7 page)

The two of them were not so different, Ronan decided. He and the centaur shared the same kind of hollow in their chests, the kind left by losing someone they loved.

Ronan’s thoughts drifted to his mother. If there had been a way for Ronan to save her, he would have. He’d have done whatever it took. At fifteen he wasn’t the man he was now. At fifteen, he’d only wept and held her hand, watched her die. Before that moment he’d not cared of being a blacksmith. It was what his mother had chosen for him. No, he’d wanted a more noble life, the kind that came with power and recognition. He’d been a boy of dreams, none of which had saved his mother from the grips of death.

Arien wasn’t going to die. “Live,” Ronan said again fiercely. He realized that he’d grown to love the boy in the short time he’d been with him. He was his family. So were Keegan and Ula in a way. That fact hit him hard in the chest. He remembered how angry he’d been when he’d seen them surrounded by the centaurs. It had been an anger that scared him. And he’d been ready to use the King’s Sword. If he had used the weapon he would have knowingly sealed his fate, an ugly one that Ronan did not want.

How had he become this person? He was a man who now had feelings for mere strangers in only a few days when he’d lived most of his life alone. And Ula bothered him most of all. He’d seen her shrouded in darkness, wielding it as dangerously as Keegan had his sword. Yet, Ronan could not find it in his heart to push her out.

Bryan had said she used the dark forces. The centaur was probably right. Ronan had never witnessed anything so frightening. But she had tried to save Arien. She had risked her own life to try to save him. She had the courage of a youth in her old body. There was something good in that, something honorable and right. And Ronan couldn’t ignore that.

Ronan rose from Arien’s side, walked around them trying to clear his mind. As if sensing his restlessness, Sorcha neared, nuzzled his arm with her nose. He smiled as he rubbed the hair between her ears. The horses had been just as brave. Dermot had changed as drastically as his rider. Usually he was the one who stayed behind but when Ula had ridden after Arien, he’d become a powerful animal as driven as the others.

Ronan frowned as he remembered Sorcha tied to the tree. She’d nearly split her mouth open trying to pull free while Dermot had just worked to loosen the knots that held them.

“Never again.” He whispered. “I’ll never let anyone do that to you again.” She nuzzled his cheek, erasing his frown.

His gaze drifted to Ahearn. “I thought you were supposed to choose your rider.” Ronan watched the horse paw at the ground, thinking he looked as if he was shuffling with embarrassment. “You came back for me. You are supposed to be devoted to that boy.” Ahearn neighed lightly causing Ronan to smile. He liked the damned horse. He couldn’t help it.

“Well I am grateful you had a bit of tenderness in that big body of yours.” Ronan reached over and touched the beast. “Grateful and indebted.” Ahearn snorted, and then leaned his head closer so Ronan could scratch his ears.

“Keep it up and I’ll put myself in debt to buy all three of you.” Ronan smiled when Ahearn neighed softly again. He stayed with the animals a minute more then returned to Arien’s side.

“Come on, boy, fight for it,” He encouraged softly. If it were possible he’d take the boy’s place. Arien was too young to die, had too much spirit to fade. If there were any way, he would make the healer use his life to save the boy’s.

“He’ll make it,” Keegan’s deep voice drifted sleepily from across the fire. Ronan looked up but the horseman didn’t rise.

“I thought you were asleep.”

Keegan grunted. “I was. But you were jabbering at my horses and woke me up.”

Ronan grinned. “I’ll remember to keep my voice lower so you can get your beauty sleep.” He heard Keegan’s chuckle. So the man did have sense of humor.

“I do need all the help I can get. You could use a little yourself.” Keegan rolled to his side and it was Ronan’s turn to chuckle. They both grew quiet. Moments later the horseman’s breathing deepened and he began to snore.

Ronan looked at each of them. This is what he had chosen for himself by accepting the sword as his responsibility. Three people, each one so very different from the others, who had come together in a moment of danger.

* * *

“Sir Culley?” Arien’s voice found him close to dawn and Ronan wanted to weep with relief. Instead, he knelt at the boy’s side and offered him a smile of approval.

“I knew you were made of something stronger than those centaurs. No apprentice of mine would be done in by a horse with arms.” Ronan was pleased with the weak smile that found Arien’s lips.

“I was stupid.”

“Yes.” Ronan nodded and reached forward to muss the boy’s hair. “But bravely so and you were punished enough for it. Just don’t ever do it again.” Ronan didn’t think he could take it if he did.

“I won’t,” Arien promised. “I hope I didn’t set us back from reaching Fullerk too badly.”

“We’ll make it there today.” Ronan helped the boy when he struggled to sit. “Or tomorrow. There is no rush.” Arien’s hand clamped onto Ronan’s arm and with his help, the apprentice stood up on shaky legs.

“I can ride,” Arien insisted as Keegan roused from sleep. He sat up, stretched, and looked up at the boy.

“Ula was right. Despite your stupidity you will live.” The horseman reached over and shook the healer’s shoulder lightly. “The idiot is awake and moving around.” Ula rose and beamed at the boy. She reached out and gave his hand a pat as if Arien had done something remarkable.

“You realize you could be dead right now. Why did you ride off like you did?” Keegan demanded saving Ronan from having to grill the boy about what prompted his actions.

“Ahearn and I agreed that we should protect Sir Culley,” Arien answered.

“You agreed? And how did you manage that?” Keegan crossed his arms but Ronan was looking at the horse the boy spoke of. He remembered how Ahearn had come to him, as if the animal had read his thoughts. Perhaps Ahearn had more magic gifts that Keegan Yore knew of.

“It was just an understanding,” Arien offered the explanation with a shrug.

“But more important than that,” Ronan interrupted before Keegan could question the boy further, turning to face Ula. “Exactly where does your loyalty lay? That was some display of power, woman. One that you hid from us.”

Ula met his gaze. “I want the sword to go to Merisgale just as you do.” Her eyes spoke sincerity but Ronan had to be certain.

“But that which you did teetered closely on the verge of dark magic.” Ronan would not allow her to slip past the question. “Speak honestly with me now or I will leave you here.”

Ula’s shoulder’s drooped and she suddenly looked defeated. “I did not wish to tell you. I feared you would not believe me. I am able to use both magics…”

“Like a wizard?” Ronan pressed. Part of him wished to offer the woman encouragement but he knew it was time for the truth, to answer the questions that had filled both his and Keegan’s minds.

“Or like a demon,” Keegan added.

“Like someone with a choice. I have made mine. Yesterday was merely a show; something to throw off those that hurt the boy. I feared he would die if I did not get to him soon enough.”

“You did not use the magic of the dark forces?” Ronan crossed his arms and Ula winced.

“Perhaps just a bit of it for the effect. But you need not fear me, Ronan Culley. I do not want the sword to go anywhere but to the wizard who is to be our King.”

“Sir Culley,” Arien corrected and she nodded.

“Sir Culley,” she amended.

Ronan studied her for a long moment, considering her words. If she had wanted the sword, she could have taken it at any time. Any of them could have. And she had saved Arien. Finally, he nodded that he was satisfied with her words. He knew about secrets, especially ones that could bring others to judge a person. She’d been protecting herself. He could not slight her for defending herself.

“Keep that darkness of yours under control. I warn you, witch. Or I will do what I must.” Ronan watched her bow her head in submission to his command.

“And what do we do about the centaurs?” Keegan asked and the other two looked at Ronan expectantly. So they had slept knowing that the enemy was still close, trusting the blacksmith to care for them. And the horseman was not going to argue with his decision to keep Ula with them. He said he did not follow but Ronan had noticed he was doing so more and more.

It wasn’t right, Ronan thought to himself as he looked at each of them. He was no leader. Keegan was more equipped to lead. Ronan made weapons so that people like Keegan Yore could wield them. But Ronan had been ready to use the King’s Sword if had to protect them. That fact had itched at Ronan’s mind during the night. The truth, one that he had vowed never to admit aloud, was that he had been angry when Arien swiped the sword. It had felt like something that was
his
had been taken.

Ronan shook his head, clearing his thoughts. “We do nothing but push on to Fullerk. I doubt they will give us much trouble until we start out again. I have a plan…”

“A plan?” Keegan echoed, seeming both surprised and amused. “A blacksmith with a sword and a plan sounds like a dangerous combination.”

Ronan’s beard bunched as he smiled. “It was a long night and I put it to use.” He accepted the dried meat Ula passed out to each of them and took a bite. “Yes, I have a plan. So, for now we must just push on and get safely to Fullerk.”

“I like that part of the plan,” Arien said and Ula gave his hand a squeeze as she settled at his side again. Ronan liked her this way, not looking like a demon woman who could change the weather. But she had been frightened that Arien would die and people react differently when afraid than at any other moment. All three of them had bared teeth and claws, each in their own way; though he had made a mental note not to ever back the woman into a corner. She could be the most dangerous of all.

“I’d like to hear the rest.” Keegan waited.

“We’ll discuss it in Fullerk. The trees seem to have ears,” Ronan answered and Ahearn snorted as if in agreement.

“Before we leave, let me look at that cut.” Ula moved from Arien’s side and stepped toward Ronan, her dark eyes lifting to the wound above his brow.

“It’s nothing.” Ronan ducked his head but her fingers gripped his chin as if he were a child and with surprising strength pulled his face forward.

“It is infected.” She frowned deeply and Ronan marveled at the lines of her leathery face. “I’ll need to rub the rat foot on it.”

“What?” Ronan started to jerk away but saw the dance in her eyes. She was only jesting with him. Arien snorted with laughter and even Keegan chuckled.

“Sit still. I’ll just need to put a bit of salve on it.” She retrieved a small bottle from within her dress.

“Where do you keep all these things?” Ronan growled as she unscrewed the lid and dipped her finger into the yellowed salve.

“One has to be prepared.” The salve was cool. She used her fingers to dab the ointment into his wound. It stung a bit but Ronan allowed her to do what she wanted.

“This isn’t some concoction you’ve come up with made with dark magic is it?” he jibed and she smiled without lowering her eyes from the cut.

“If it was, you would already be dead.” Her smile widened when he grunted. “It’s made of cow urine.” Ronan made a face and she laughed as she let her hand fall from his face. Ronan realized it was the first time she’d ever laughed. And odd sound that was cracked and a bit grating, but Ronan enjoyed the sound of it. It proved she was not all darkness and evil.

“It will kill the infection,” she told him moving away.

“Maybe the two of you could share a room once we get to Fullerk,” Keegan murmured lowly. “Perhaps that is the next step of your plan.”

“If it were I’d be too scared the rat foot would play a part in the experience.” Ronan shook his head, watching Ula. No, he knew the feelings he had for the woman. It couldn’t be helped. She had that nature about her that filled a part of his heart that had been left empty. There was no way to deny it.

Ula seemed to know that was her place in his life. She’d stepped into the role just as naturally as if she’d always been with Ronan. He was too smart to feel such tenderness, especially after what he witnessed the day before. But Ronan could do nothing to change his heart.

By first light they were well on their way. Ronan noticed that Ahearn kept looking back at him. He wondered if the horse was trying to tell him something. But he hadn’t the same gift the horse had. He could not read his thoughts.

“What?” He finally said aloud causing the others to look back at him. Ahearn snorted again, and turned his eyes forward.

* * *

Fiona knew it had to happen. She dreaded it, but knew it couldn’t be avoided. It had been her only reservation about accepting this mission. She glanced around the road but there were no other travelers, no one to witness the act, to judge her for what she must do. Sighing, she stepped toward the trees. The branches irritated her skin but still she stepped deeper.

The first pain hit her only moments later. She forced her attention on regulating her breathing. She knew not to panic. Keep calm. Breathe deeply.

Then the second pain hit. Why did it have to be so painful?
Life can’t be easy, child. Easy makes us lazy.
The memory of her grandmother’s wisdom found her through the third contraction and eased some of the ache.

And you are a Serpentine. There is nothing to be done about it all. Grit your teeth and bear it. But don’t close your eyes, child. Never, never close your eyes. The dark can be a dangerous thing.

Fiona’s gaze locked on a small tree. She could see the deep grooves in the trunk made by a weather worm. Her body twitched, twisted, but she kept looking at the tree, at the life long travels of one tiny little creature. Muscles contracted, then released with agonizing pain. For an instant she thought of lying down then dismissed the idea. It was easier when she was on her feet.