The Mansions of Idumea (Book 3 Forest at the Edge series) (84 page)

And no Guarder activity had been detected
around Edge, but obviously Guarders were working differently
now.

When she heard the fast hoof beats coming up
the cobblestone in front of the house, a wave of panic washed over
her. She dropped the skirt in the warm water, dried her hands on
her apron, and ran to the front of the house prepared for anything,
but hoping for nothing. Hycymum, in the kitchen washing dishes,
followed closely behind.

Jaytsy and Peto got to the front door first,
though, and watched tensely as the small man in a red messenger
uniform dismounted. Hycymum stood behind Mahrree, her hands
apprehensively in front of her face, but Mahrree took a bracing
breath and walked out onto the porch.

The messenger trotted up the stairs and
handed her the envelope. “Mrs. Shin? I am to tell you that the
colonel and the master sergeant are on their way.” With that he
swiveled and marched smartly back to his horse.

Mahrree whispered, “He said
colonel
and
master sergeant
, right? That means they’re still in the
army. That means neither was demoted, and both are still alive.”
Relief rained down on her like the morning’s thunderstorm.

They were coming home. Both of them.

“Read it!” Jaytsy exploded next her. “The
message! Read it!”

Peto snatched it out of Mahrree’s hands and
tried to rip it open.

“Let me do it!” Jaytsy grabbed the envelope
from her brother.

Mahrree could only stand there, tears of
gratitude trickling down her face, while her teenagers battled in
front of her on the porch.

“Thank the Creator!” Hycymum said, and went
to sit down on the sofa to fan herself.

Both alive, Mahrree thought, still unable to
move. Both still all right. Maybe. She closed her eyes and didn’t
hear more hoof beats until her children cried out, “They’re
here!”

Mahrree’s eyes flew open to see four horses
come to an abrupt stop in front of the house. Her eyes fell
immediately on Perrin.

There wasn’t even a word to describe his
appearance. She couldn’t remember ever seeing him so exhausted,
dirty, and scruffy. His uniform was a disgrace. His face was
bloodied and unshaven. His cap was missing and his hair looked as
if he’d been wrestling a bale of hay—

And he’d never looked more wonderful.

Mahrree leaped down the stairs as quickly as
he slid off his horse. She didn’t care who saw her, and neither did
he. He jumped over the fence and she ran into his arms where he
picked her up in a fierce embrace.

“I was so scared for you! I was sure you were
going to do something terrible,” she whispered in his ear as she
squeezed him with all her strength. His normally earthy-sweet smell
was far more earthy than sweet today, but she could overlook
that.

“I’m sorry to admit that I was,” he murmured
back. “But I’m all right now. I’m home. Please forgive me, one more
time?”

“I already have.”

He kissed her cheek, but that wasn’t good
enough. He set her down, took her face in his hands, and kissed her
properly in front of everyone.

Until Shem cleared his throat. “That
is
a little unfair, Colonel. The rest of us are lonely,
single men . . .”

“Poor Uncle Shem!” Jaytsy laughed for the
first time in days. She and Peto had come down the stairs and were
waiting to hug their father, but caught Shem instead as he
dismounted, each of them taking a side.

Perrin released his wife and held out his
arms to embrace his children. Mahrree wiped away happy tears as
Perrin attempted to pick up both Jaytsy and Peto,
unsuccessfully.

She chuckled and turned to Shem, grabbing his
arm. “Oh Shem, how can I ever thank you? What did you have to do?”
she whispered.

“Beat him up,” Shem murmured back.

Mahrree cringed.

“Stop him from murdering an
Administrator—”

Mahrree flinched. “Gadiman?”

“Yes, how’d you know?”

“Just a lucky guess. What else?” she asked
and bit her lip in dreadful anticipation.

“Let’s see,” Shem started, but noticed Perrin
and the children watching him. “I think I’ll finish this
later.”

Perrin nodded once at him, with warning in
his eyes.

Mahrree hugged Shem. “Well, thank you
anyway!”

“Anything for my family,” Shem whispered as
he released her.

Perrin cleared his throat. “Mahrree, a couple
of introductions here.” He gestured to the two soldiers who had
also dismounted and now stood patiently at the gate.

Mahrree had completely forgotten there was
anyone else in the world besides her family. She looked over at the
other two men and her eyebrows went up.

Perrin put a smile on his face that was
slightly unnatural, but only Mahrree and Shem knew that. “May I
present our new
captain
, Lemuel Thorne—”

“Captain?” a startled Mahrree said, but tried
to cover her surprise with The Dinner smile.

Captain Thorne sauntered over to the family
with what Mahrree would classify as a triumphant swagger.

“Yes, quite the accomplishment,” Perrin said,
trying not to grit his teeth. “For graduating top of his class
and
half a season early, he gets the rank of captain and the
choice of his first assignment. And guess where he chose?” His
expression turned grim.

Captain Thorne was grinning fully now, but
not at Mahrree. He was gazing earnestly at Jaytsy. “I chose to come
to the Edge of the World, just like Captain Shin did.” He took
Jaytsy’s hand and kissed it.

Jaytsy was taken aback. From the moment she
recognized him she stared at him with an indefinable look. But when
the captain kissed her, she blushed and let escape a curious noise
that was a blend of a giggle, a snort, and a guffaw.

Thorne was enchanted.

Shem was alarmed.

Mahrree was troubled.

Perrin was livid.

He clenched his fist and released it before
turning to the lieutenant still waiting by the gate. “And this is
Lieutenant Offra. This poor unfortunate man has been enjoying the
warmth of Trades for the past year and now has been shipped all the
way north. He still won’t tell me what he did wrong to earn this
transfer.”

The lanky lieutenant smiled bashfully and
nodded. “It’s a privilege to serve under Colonel Shin. Every
soldier knows that. I wanted to be here as well.”

Perrin turned back to Mahrree. “I hate to say
it, but—”

“I know. You need to go to the fort,” she
said. “And you don’t know when you’ll be back.”

“But it won’t be long, I promise.”

“Don’t make promises you might not keep,” she
warned him.

“Colonel!” a voice from the up the road came
running to them. It was Karna. “I can’t believe it! You’re back!”
He stopped in front of the colonel and looked as if he might hug
him.

Perrin grinned, shook his hand warmly, then
pulled him into a quick embrace.

“I saw the messenger leave,” Karna said as he
patted Perrin on the back, “I was on my way down for the evening,
and—”

“Yes, I’m back. And, Brillen, I’m sorry about
that,” Perrin gestured at the large black and purple bruise under
Karna’s eye.

Karna waved his apology away.

Perrin smiled. “I trust everything here was
well?”

“We kept your house under constant watch,
have detected no Guarder activity, and the fort in good condition,
sir.” Major Karna flashed a grin at Shem that told him ‘
Good
job!
’

“I’m glad to hear that, and I’m also sorry,”
Colonel Shin told him.

The major looked disappointed. “Why?”

The colonel put on another smile, this one
slightly pained. “I’ve been spoiled for far too long. You’ve
languished in my shadow for so many years, and you’ve done far too
good a job here. So good that you’ve been given your own command.”
Colonel Shin pulled out an official envelope from his jacket
pocket. “The fort at Rivers is yours,
Lieutenant Colonel
Karna. And
Captain
Rigoff is yours, too.”

Mahrree gasped to realize Teeria would be
leaving Edge for the large village of Rivers.

Karna was speechless as he opened the
envelope and read the orders. “I can’t believe it, sir,” he finally
whispered. He grinned at Sergeant Zenos who smiled sadly. Then
Karna looked at the colonel and his grin faded. “Oh, sir. But I’ve
been here so long, I can’t imagine actually
leaving
.”

“It’s graduation day, Brillen!” Perrin said
cheerfully, but his eyes were clouded. “And when you graduate, it’s
time to move on. Surely a Miss Robbing who delivers eggs to the
Rivers fort will be a bit happy about that as well.”

Karna began to smile again. “She, uh, she and
I were talking, and . . . She won’t believe it!” He choked out a
laugh.

“You better send us an invitation to the
wedding, Brillen.” Mahrree kissed him on the cheek. “We’re going to
miss you, but I’m so happy for you! It’s been a long time in
coming.”

Karna nodded and reread the orders, his face
a manifestation of mixed emotions. “I suppose you don’t need me
here tonight, Mrs. Shin.”

“I’m afraid you leave tomorrow afternoon, so
you best get back and get packing,” Colonel Shin told him. “I’ll
come with you to give Rigoff the news. And Neeks.”

“Where’s Grandpy off to?” Karna asked,
surprised.

“Down to Grasses.” Perrin’s pained smile
remained on his face. “General Cush thought his old bones would
appreciate something warmer. He won’t be going alone, though.
Private Hili will be accompanying him.”

Mahrree covered her mouth.

Perrin turned to her. “It’ll be good for him.
New place, no one knows his background. He’ll truly get a fresh
start. Just what Shem told him he needed.”

Mahrree’s chin trembled but she nodded.
Jaytsy sniffed.

“What about Unc—Sergeant Zenos?” Peto asked
timidly.

Perrin smiled at his children. “Seems the
Administrators think Zenos is best at my side. Right now they trust
me only as far as Zenos can reach. Terrified horses couldn’t drag
him away. I know; I already tried something like that.”

The Shin family tried not to look too
relieved in front of the new officers.

“We need to go,” Perrin said. “But I’ll be
back as soon as I can.” As the other three soldiers mounted up, he
gave his wife another quick kiss.

She caught his arm. “You’ve got a lot to
explain to me tonight, you know,” she whispered. “Why all these
changes, and why now?”

His answer couldn’t have been more cryptic.
“Because the cats in the barn have found themselves a new wounded
falcon.”

Chapter 27
~
“Then again, Shem impresses everyone.”

I
t was an unusual
hearing early that morning, Perrin told Mahrree, convened jointly
by the Army of Idumea and the Administrators, since what Perrin had
done over the past week had violated rules and protocols of both
organizations.

“Well, first of all,” he explained as he held
her that night in their bed as if he’d never let go again, “I’m
officially on probation for trying to attack Gadiman. Had I been
successful, I would’ve been tried for treason instead of just
censured.”

Mahrree clung to him too, curled up into his
chest but clutching his arms, just to make sure he was really
there. “And the punishment for treason?”

“Execution,” he tried to say easily, but he
nearly choked on the word. “Apparently several Administrators and a
few officers had met the afternoon before—I suspect Qayin Thorne
had called them together—while I was napping in the hospital, to
discuss also stripping me of my command.”

“Oh, Perrin . . .” But Mahrree wondered if
that wouldn’t have been so bad after all.

“It seems our friend Brisack was in
attendance, and he argued valiantly that I had been acting out of
‘extreme grief,’ and shouldn’t be held completely liable for my
aggressive behavior.”

“Hmm,” Mahrree began, “so if someone’s angry
enough, their behavior is justified?”

“To be honest, Mahrree, as furious as I was,
there was still a part of me that could have just turned it off. It
would have been extremely difficult, but not impossible. I chose to
lose my temper and make a play for that sword. But, if Brisack
thinks I’m beyond controlling my actions, which I know isn’t true,
then . . . let him.”

“I can imagine what Gadiman must’ve looked
like at your hearing!”

“Really? Because I can’t.”

“Why not?”

“He wasn’t there.”

“Why not?” she repeated.

“They were kind of fuzzy on that point. It
seems Brisack had tried to convince him to come, but when he told
Gadiman he wouldn’t try me for attempted murder, Gadiman
refused.”

“Whew!” she breathed.

“So,” he continued, “as part of my probation,
which is indefinite, I’ve been ordered to stay within the confines
of Edge and its surrounding farms.”

“What?” Mahrree nearly squealed.

He chuckled. It was chuckle filled with
gloomy undertones, but he’d found one tiny thing to be happy about,
and he latched on to it. “Yep. I nearly broke into a grin when Mal
read that ‘punishment.’ Took all my strength to keep a straight
face. To think, I finally found a way to stay here. The Creator
really works in mysterious ways sometimes.”

She giggled just as drearily, but with a drop
of joy. That drop quickly dried up. “So why have you lost Karna,
Neeks, Rigoff, and Poe?”

“Part of my punishment for my ‘exceptional
forwardness and callous regard for regulations’ in forming the
caravan and taking the reserves. And for stealing horses,” he
added, “and for throwing an Administrators’ messenger through my
office wall. Actually, I’d forgotten about that, but a
representative showed up to the hearing and informed the
Administrators about my fit of temper. The messenger will live.
Taking early retirement, though. By the way, it was the same
messenger who barged into our house a few weeks ago.”