This Battle Lord's Quest (21 page)

Chapter
Twenty-Eight

Implication

They left the long house and parted company with
Dristoll. As Yulen had suspected, a couple of men were standing guard on either
side of the big double doors. These guards accompanied them as Dahyan showed
them the way to the row of barracks where they could stay. She indicated a
small rock cottage lying at the end of a row of similar buildings. Yulen
thanked her, understanding the arrangement. By placing the four of them in this
location, they would be easier to guard, and he had no doubt that, despite
their agreement, she would have them kept under constant surveillance.

 
The
windowless cabin was small and contained two sets of bunks, a table with four
chairs, and a small stove where they could fix meals, as well as provide
warmth. Renken stopped next to Yulen and glanced around. “It’s crude but
doable. Dibs on a bottom bed.”

Mastin raised an eyebrow at the Battle Lord. “I
take it you’ll take the other bottom bed?”

“Actually, I prefer on top.” Yulen flashed a quick
smile. “If someone comes in to attack us in the middle of the night, chances
are he’ll go for the easiest guy to reach.”

Fortune snorted. “In that case, I’ll take the other
top bunk.”

Yulen removed his weapons belt and dumped it on top
of the table, then parked himself in one of the chairs. Rubbing his hands over
his face, he sighed deeply.

“Think there’s someone guarding the door?” Mastin
asked from where he’d already stretched out on his mattress.

“Without a doubt,” Renken replied.

“For their protection, or ours?”

“What do you think?”

“Well, I think that Dahyan woman is correct,”
Fortune concurred, taking a chair at the table. He looked at Yulen, who
remained with his head bowed, finger dug into his hair. “You’re going to have
to approach Atty as if it’s the first time. You’re going to have to watch
everything you say and do, and you’re going to have to win her affection all
over again.”

“What about Mattox? What about our life back at
Alta Novis?” He stared off into the distance as he began to grasp the full
implication of what faced him.

Renken took a chair and sat down. “You can’t
mention that. For all she knows, you’re a stranger in this compound.”

“But if I did, is there the chance it could trigger
a past memory? Maybe help her recall our history together?”

“Hell, I don’t know,” Fortune grumped. “It might.
Then again, maybe she’ll just give you that damn blank look again.”

“You noticed that, huh?”

“Kinda hard to miss,” Mastin murmured. “Hurt like
hell, not to see her smiling. Realizing she doesn’t know us from Adam.”

“What do you think of the Dahyan woman, Yulen?”
Renken inquired. “Think we can trust her?’

“I think we’re both in the same boat. She’s
probably wondering right now whether she can trust
us.
After all, she
did admit her people aren’t skilled in the art of warfare. Not like we are. If
I were her, I’d be terrified at the idea that we might rise up when they least
expect it, slaughter most of them, then take off with Atty, back to Alta
Novis.” Yulen looked at the ex-mercenary. “Wouldn’t you?”

“If she’s afraid of that happening, why did she
give us our weapons back?” Mastin spoke up. “Why risk it?”

“Because right now there are other forces more
threatening to them than us,” Fortune answered.

Renken nodded. “It also explains why she asked for
our help, in exchange for letting us stay here until we can convince Atty of
who she is.”

“Yulen.”

The Battle Lord turned around to look at his
Second.

“What if you never convince Atty that she’s your
wife?”

“You heard what Dahyan said. I have to win her
heart all over again.”

“I know that.” Mastin nodded. “What I mean
is...what if you don’t succeed?”

“Don’t what? Don’t win her back?” Yulen suddenly
felt light-headed. Not win her back? Not win her heart a second time? Could he
fail? Could he return to Alta Novis without her and willingly leave her behind?
How would he explain her absence to their son? When he grew older, would Mattox
forgive him for his decision to leave her behind?

Worse, how could
he
go on?

A hand on his arm dragged him away from the
nightmare. He blinked and stared at the Mutah hunter.

“I think you’re forgetting one very crucial
element,” the man whispered, and thumped Yulen in the chest. “Your connection
to each other has no memory. It has no need to be renewed or re-wooed. It’s
there, and it’s permanent. It’s been forged with every thing, every moment, the
two of you have endured together, and it’ll grow stronger with time. That
connection’s still there, Yulen. It’s still inside her as it is within you. And
that’s what’s going to bring her back to you.”

“I hope to hell you’re right,” Yulen whispered in
reply.

Fortune grinned, then slapped the Battle Lord on
the bicep. “Want more advice? I say we get some sleep. Morning will come soon
enough.”

“Hear, hear,” Mastin murmured sleepily, and rolled
over on his bed to face the wall before drifting off. Yulen noticed the Second
was so tired, he hadn’t removed his boots first.

Or maybe the kid’s smarter than I realize,
he mused with a smile as he and the other two men
took to their own beds. If something should happen in the night, requiring them
to leave their barracks at a moment’s notice, those couple of seconds they’d
need to put on their boots could make the difference between winning and
losing.

Or maybe I need to rein it in a little and let
Dahyan run things. Funny, how I’m not this concerned when I’m a guest at other
compounds.

Renken motioned toward the door. “There’s no lock
on the door. Even there was, that flimsy bit of wood won’t prevent anyone from
getting in if they really want to. But what if they change their minds and
decide to—” He was interrupted by Yulen taking his chair and ramming it
underneath the handle.

“There. That’ll force ‘em to knock first.”

Chuckling, the other men took to their beds. Yulen
pulled himself up into the bunk above his Second, and was asleep within
seconds.

Chapter
Twenty-Nine

Faith

Atty was resting on one of the padded benches in
the living room when Dahyan returned. She sat up as the woman tip-toed through
the front door, surprising the warrior.

“Atty?”

Atty’s impulse was to automatically correct her,
but she managed to hold her tongue. Dahyan gave her an understanding look and
walked over to take a seat across from her.
 

“You talked about me, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

When the woman didn’t elaborate, Atty persisted.
“What did you discuss?”

“You tell me.”

Atty gave a little exasperated sigh. “Why won’t you
tell me the truth?”

“Because you already know the truth.”

Atty searched the older woman’s face, looking for a
clue as to what she was thinking. All she saw was weariness.

“That man, the one with the light hair, he says
he’s my husband?”

Dahyan nodded but didn’t reply.

“You believe him.” It wasn’t a question.

“What I believe is not important, Atty.”

“Aggee.” This time she didn’t hold back.

Dahyan dropped her gaze. “Atty, what is important
is what
you
believe.”

“Why can’t I remember him? If I truly love him, why
is he a stranger to me? Is it because of my head injury?”

Dahyan tried to stifle a yawn. “Atty, you know you
don’t belong here. You know you came from the fallen heavens.” She paused for a
moment. “I know you’re frightened because this man is claiming to belong to you
in the most intimate way any woman could share. But why would he be looking for
you if you didn’t mean anything to him? He described you perfectly, dear child.
He mentioned your hunting ability and your blue hair before he even saw you
were among us.”

“Droo thinks I might be an escaped prisoner. They
could be here because they want to recapture me.”

Dahyan frowned, but the smile on her face betrayed
her amusement. “Atty, you don’t really believe that, do you? Is that what you
think? That you’re an escapee?”

“How do you know what I think?”

“Because if you did, you would not have come
forward when I called to you. You wouldn’t have studied the man’s face, then
casually walked home like I asked you. Your actions were not that of a woman
who’s escaped her captor. Even with your head injury, your heart knew he wasn’t
a danger to you. In fact, I thought I saw a brief moment when you remembered
something.”

Atty stared at the lap of her nightgown. It was
uncanny how well the Lanta woman could read her. “There was something. I
couldn’t quite grasp what it was.”

“Yet he was still a stranger.”

“Yes.”

Dahyan pulled the ceremonial beading she usually
wore from her hair and shook her head, running her fingers through the ebon
locks. “Atty, you know you’re going to have to eventually make a decision.”

“What if I decide I want to remain here?”

“If that is your choice, I will warmly welcome you
to the tribe, and I know the rest of the people will also open their arms to
you. You’ve become a tremendous asset in protecting our village.”

Atty buried her face in her hands, and bent over at
the waist. She couldn’t cry, but her stomach was tied in knots. For the past
few days, confusion had been welling up within her, building like a
thunderstorm. When she least expected it, her mind flashed pictures behind her
eyes. Faces of people she knew she should recognize, but couldn’t. Memories she
couldn’t comprehend that haunted her dreams. Her body was trying to recall her
past life, but every time it did, she was left with a splitting headache and
more questions than answers.

“Dahyan, I don’t know what to do! I don’t understand
what I’m feeling, and I don’t know what these dreams and memories are about.”
As she rocked forward and back in agitation, a gentle hand began to rub her
back. “Tell me what to do. Please, tell me.”

“I will tell you the same thing Bric said he told you.
Don’t force yourself, Atty. And don’t make any decisions until you know you’ll
be totally comfortable with them.”

She moved over to the other bench and pulled Atty
into her lap. Atty felt her fingers begin to play with her braids, massaging
her scalp with her nails. The sensation felt so familiar. But like everything
else, the reason why eluded her.

“You’re so much like my daughters, Paas, in
particular,” Dahyan confessed softly. “I guess that’s why you’ve wormed
yourself into my heart. Add to the fact that you came to us hurt and in pain,
made my motherly instincts kick in.” She brushed back the short hairs around
Atty’s temple. “Paas does not make friends easily. My little girl’s always been
a loner. Very independent, very unpredictable, but fierce. And fearless. Oh,
blessed Stephen, that girl is going to send me to an early grave with some of
the stunts she’s pulled.”

Atty laughed. “Mohmee always said the same about
me.”

Warm brown eyes and brown hair. A face that was
both angry and filled with pride. The house reeked of the smell of skunk.

She froze. At the same time, she realized Dahyan
had stopped stroking her hair. An air of excitement hung like a thin veil in
front of her. After a few more seconds, she managed to breathe.

“I...I thought I saw her face. I remembered,
Dahyan.”

“Because you weren’t trying to, my dear.”

Atty sat up, and the woman clasped her hand that
lay on the bench between them, giving it a squeeze.

“What will happen to the strangers?”

“They’ve been invited to stay as long as they wish.”

“As our guests?”

“With stipulations.”

Atty narrowed her eyes at the woman, who gave her a
playful grin. “You made them swear to offer their swords, didn’t you?” The grin
widened into a smile, and Atty laughed again.

“Come.” The woman gave her hand a pat before she
got to her feet. “It’s nearly morning, and neither one of us is going to be
good for anything if we don’t get a few hours of sleep.”

Atty touched her arm. “You made this possible for
me. You gave them...me...you’re giving us the time to get to know each other
again, aren’t you?”

“I have faith that you will get back enough of your
memory to justify this man’s claims. Or to deny them. Then you can make your
decision without any hesitation. Whatever you finally choose to do, Atty, know
this. Either way, my family and my tribe have become part of your life, and
that will never change.”

To her surprise, the woman bent over and kissed her
forehead. Giving her cheek a gentle pat, Dahyan picked up her headdress where
she’d left it on the other bench and retreated to her own bedroom.

Atty stared at the single lantern burning in the
living area. The knot remained centered in her stomach, but for the first time,
the brief flash of her mother’s face did not leave her with any residual pain.
There was no persistent throbbing or dizziness.

Because I didn’t force it. I didn’t make myself
remember. I was calm, relaxed...and content. And it just happened.

It was then Atty knew she would eventually find the
answers she was seeking. Maybe not today, or this week, or even this year. But
her memories would come back. Sooner or later, she would know the reasons
behind the images floating in and out of her consciousness. She would discover
the answers to everything she’d been asking questions about. Dahyan had faith in
her. Now, so did she.

Filled with renewed hope,
Atty returned to her room to grab a couple of hours of sleep.