The Oracle's Queen (6 page)

His kind, knowing look undid her. She threw her arms around his neck and hid her face against his chest, not caring that he still stank of blood and smoke. “I'm glad you're still with me!”

He rubbed her back. “As long as I draw breath.”

“I'm going to make you a prince of the realm when I'm queen.”

Tharin chuckled. “Bad enough you've made me a lord. Leave well enough alone.”

He stroked a wet strand of hair back from her cheek and gave one braid a tug. “You're worried about Ki.”

Tamír nodded. It was half the truth, anyway.

“He didn't look any happier than you when he left.” She felt him sigh. “You're determined to keep him by you, aren't you?”

“You think I'm wrong?”

“No, but you might consider the boy's feelings.”

“I'd be happy to, if he'd tell me what they are! He treats me like I'm someone else now.”

“Well, like it or not, you are.”

“No!”

Tharin patted her shoulder. “Maybe just who you were, then, with more added on.”

“Tits, you mean?”

“You call those little flea bites tits?” He laughed at her outraged look. “Yes, your body's changed, and that's something that can't just be pushed aside, especially not by a young man with Ki's hot blood.”

Tamír looked away, mortified. “I want him to see me as a girl, to like me that way, but then again, I don't. Oh, Tharin, I'm so confused!”

“You both need time to know your hearts.”

“
You
always treat me just the same.”

“Well now, it's different with me, isn't it? Boy or girl, you're Rhius' child. But you're not a little one anymore, for me to carry on my shoulder and make toys for. You're my liege and I'm your man. But Ki?” He picked up the discarded flannel and rubbed it over her dripping hair. “I know what your feelings for him have grown to this past year or so. He knows it, too.”

“But shouldn't that make it easier?”

He paused in his drying. “How would you feel if you woke up tomorrow and Ki was a girl?”

Tamír blinked up at him through her tangled hair. “It's not the same! That would make things harder between us, like when I was a boy. This way, we can—have each other. If he wants to!”

“First he'll have to stop seeing Tobin every time he looks at you. And that won't be easy because he's still looking so hard to see him.”

“I know. Who do you see, Tharin?”

He patted her knee. “I told you. I see my friend's child.”

“You really loved my father, didn't you?”

He nodded. “And he loved me.”

“But he left you for Mother. Why didn't you stop loving him then?”

“Sometimes love can change its form rather than end. That's what happened with your father.”

“But your feelings never changed, did they?”

“No.”

She was old enough now to guess at what he was leaving unsaid. “Didn't it hurt?”

She'd never seen the sorrow more clearly in his face, or the sharp edge of anger that came with it when he nodded and replied softly, “Like fire, at first, and for a long time after. But not enough to drive me away, and I can say now that I'm glad. There was a time when I'd have answered
differently. I was a grown man by then, and I had my pride.”

“Why did you stay?”

“He asked me to.”

She'd never heard him say so much before. “I always wondered—”

“What?”

“After Mama got sick and turned against him, were—were you and Father ever lovers again?”

“Certainly not!”

“I'm sorry. That was rude.” Still, something in that last response intrigued her—a flash of pride. She wondered what it meant but knew better than to ask. “So what do I do about Ki?”

“Give him time. Ki could never have loved you the way you wanted as Tobin. It just isn't in him. But he suffered over it, and now he's suffering over the loss of who you two were together.” He draped the flannel over her shoulder. “Let him heal a while. You can do that for him, can't you?”

She nodded. Of course she could. But that didn't make her feel any better tonight. “Is he out there?”

“He went off by himself, but he'll be back.”

“We'll need more hot water for sure, then,” Tamír mused. “Should I leave while he bathes?”

Tharin shrugged. “It would be polite to ask.”

T
he courtyard was filled with soldiers and servants. Ki kept to the shadows and went to the new stone stable, where the wounded were being tended.

Illardi bred fine horses from Aurënfaie stock; his stable was far nicer than the house where Ki had been born, and considerably larger. Inside, Ki could just make out rafters and dressed stone at the edge of the lamplight. It smelled of new wood and fresh straw, but also of blood and wounds, and herbs being burned or brewed on the braziers. Half a dozen drysian healers were at work, wearing bloodstained aprons over their long brown robes.

People lay everywhere on makeshift pallets, looking like bundles of laundry laid out for washing day. Ki picked his way among them, looking for Nikides and Tanil. One of the healers noticed him and came over.

“Lord Kirothieus, are you seeking the Companions?” she asked. “We put them together, over there in that stall at the end.”

He found Nikides propped up in a deep bed of new straw. Another figure sat huddled in a far corner of the stall, muffled in several blankets. Even his head was covered.

“Tanil?” When Ki moved closer, the squire let out a soft moan and cowered deeper into the shadows. Ki settled back on his heels. “It's all right. You're safe here.”

Tanil said nothing, just curled more tightly in on himself.

“Ki, is that you?” It was a papery whisper.

Ki turned to find Nikides awake and blinking up at him. “Yes. How are you?”

“Better, I think. Where are we?”

“At Duke Illardi's estate.”

“Illardi?” Nikides glanced around in confusion. “But I thought— I dreamed I was at the Old Palace. There were people dying around me. I thought I saw you—and Tobin.”

“It was no dream. We had you moved here. Lynx is still with us, too, and came through without a damn scratch! I think he and I are the only ones who did. And Una, too. Remember her?”

Nikides brightened at that. “She's alive?”

“Yes. She ran off and joined up with my sister Ahra's riders. She learned her lessons well. She's a blooded warrior already.”

“So there are some of us left, after all.”

“Yes. What happened with you, Nik?”

Nikides tried to sit up and groaned. “I told them I was never cut out to be a warrior.” With Ki's help he managed to prop himself against the wall. “I was with Korin. We were trying to get him away—” He closed his eyes against some painful memory. “I didn't see the archer until it was too late.”

“You were lucky. The shaft missed your lung.”

Nikides shifted again and caught sight of the huddled figure in the corner. “Who's that?”

“Tanil.”

“Thank the Four, we thought you were dead! Tanil? Ki, what's wrong with him?”

“He was captured.” Ki leaned closer and lowered his voice. “Tortured, and—well, raped, like they do. We found him planked up against a bam north of the city.”

Nikides' eyes widened. “Maker's Mercy!”

“He's in bad shape. Tamír wanted him kept close to you.”

“Tamír?”

Ki sighed. “Tobin, that is. You saw her back at the palace, remember? You spoke to her.”

“Ah. I thought I'd dreamed that, too.”

“No dream. A prophecy fulfilled, or so they say.”

“Then Skala has a queen again!” Nikides whispered. “If only Grandfather had lived to see it.” He fell silent a moment. “So, how is Tobin? Princess Tamír, I mean.”

“She's fine.”

“She.” Nikides murmured, “It's going to take some getting used to, isn't it? Tell me, how did it happen?”

Ki gave him a quick summary. “It was magic, but not like anything I'd ever heard of before. But I saw her myself, naked as the dawn, and it's no trick. She's Tamír now; Tamír Ariani Ghërilain.”

“A good name.”

Nikides was taking it very well, Ki thought sourly.

“Amazing, isn't it, that the queen the Illiorans have been whispering about all these years was hiding right in plain sight?”

“Amazing, all right.” The bitterness in his voice left Nikides speechless for a moment.

“And Ero?” he asked at last.

“We drove the enemy out, but the city's pretty near ruined.” Ki clasped his shoulder. “I'm sorry about your grandfather. I'm told he died defending the palace.”

“Yes. I'll miss him, but it was an honorable death.”

“What can you tell me about Korin? Do you know where they went?”

“They haven't come back?”

“No. What happened?”

“The enemy had broken through our last defenses. They were everywhere, killing and burning. Master Porion and Captain Melnoth organized the retreat, with what soldiers they had left to cover their escape. I was unlucky, that's all, and got cut off.”

“And they just left you?”

“You can't blame Lutha, if that's what you're thinking.”
He paused and Ki saw a look of pain in his eyes. “I saw him looking back at me, shouting something. He wanted to go back for me, but of course, he couldn't. His duty was to Korin.”

“I would have, Nik. So would Tamír.”

Nikides shook his head. “I wouldn't have wanted you to. Duty first, in all things. That's what Master Porion would tell you, too.”

Ki kept his arguments to himself for now. Nikides was still too ill to fully appreciate the situation. “Do you know where Korin was headed?”

“No. Niryn just said to get him out of the city. We were trying for the west gate when I lost them.”

“The wizard was giving the orders?”

“Korin wouldn't listen to anyone else by then, not even Cal.”

The drysian who'd spoken with Ki earlier came back just then and put her ear to Nikides' chest. She looked pleased with what she heard. “You're a lucky fellow, my lord. A few days more and you should be on your feet again, though it will take time to fully heal. I'll send someone over with broth. See that he eats, won't you, Lord Kirothieus?”

“I will.” Ki grinned at his friend. “Not that we ever had any trouble getting you to eat.”

Nikides made a rude gesture, then looked over at Tanil again. He'd stirred when the drysian came, and appeared to be awake. “Hello, Tanil. I'm glad you're here. Are you hungry?”

Tanil shook his head and the blanket fell back from his face.

“Bilairy's balls!” Nikides gasped softly.

The young squire's face was still badly swollen and discolored from the beating, and his dark hair hung in lank strands around his shoulders. His braids had been cut off, too. Worst of all, though, was his vacant, frightened expression. He hunched in on himself, arms crossed tight
across his chest. Livid bruises covered his bare shoulders, and his wrists were wrapped with bloodstained linen. He gave them a confused look, then hid his face against his knees.

“Poor fellow,” Nikides whispered sadly.

“And he was one of the lucky ones,” Ki replied softly, leaving it unsaid that his captors had been about to gut him when Tamír and her forces showed up. “The wounds in his wrists aren't so bad. The healers say he'll probably have the use of his hands again when they heal.”

He spoke lightly, but he and Nikides exchanged a knowing look. Wounds to the body were nothing to a warrior, but to be so dishonored and left crippled? It would have been kinder if the bastards had killed him.

The drysian woman returned with two bowls of strong-smelling broth. Nikides took a sip from his and wrinkled his nose. “Horse meat!”

“Plenty of that about,” Ki said, moving slowly and carefully to sit by Tanil. He held out the bowl. “It stinks, but it'll put strength back into you. Come on now, try a little. It's me, see? Nobody's going to hurt you. Nik's here, too.”

Tanil regarded them with empty eyes, then a hint of recognition seemed to dawn. He let Ki hold the bowl to his lips and managed a few sips before he gagged and turned his face away.

Nikides gamely downed his portion and put the bowl aside with a grimace of distaste. “You haven't said what happened to you, since you left Ero.”

Ki quickly outlined the chaos of the past few days. “Tharin's reorganized the remains of the old Alestun guard, along with Lynx and some of the warriors from Atyion, into a new guard for Tamír,” Ki said, all the while coaxing Tanil to drink more of the broth. “We've got Lord Jorvai, and Kyman of Ilear on our side already, and Illardi, and more who swore fealty after the battle. Not everyone is supporting Tamír, though.”

“That's to be expected,” Nikides said, looking thoughtful. “Well, you can count me in as another loyal man, for whatever it's worth.”

“Even over your Companion's oath? She'll send you back to Korin if that's what you want.”

“No. I won't say it doesn't hurt, but in my heart I know it's the right thing. Erius broke with the prophecy, and where did that get us? If Illior has made Tobin into a queen, then who am I to argue? So, how can I help?”

Ki clasped his friend's hand and smiled. “Get your strength back and keep an eye on Tanil for me. Well, I better get back. Take care of yourself and do as the healers tell you.”

K
i felt a bit better for seeing his friend awake, but returned to the house unsure of his welcome. He felt bad about how things had gone earlier and was anxious to put it right.

Tamír was sitting on the bed reading a letter. She had on a long linen shirt under the dressing gown, and her damp hair hung loose over her shoulders. Baldus was curled up asleep on his pallet by the door.