Mercy's Prince (33 page)

“Merry!”
Valerian’s hands gripped her shoulders. “You must come back now!”

Reluctantly
she let go of Kieran and slumped against Valerian. Kieran’s color was better,
and he appeared to be breathing normally, though he was still not conscious.

Valerian
sat cross-legged and cradled her. She shivered uncontrollably, and he warmed
her with his body heat.

“I
would take you back to the fire,” he said quietly, “but I’m afraid to leave
Kieran alone.”

Merry
nodded and closed her eyes. She focused on breathing deeply to bring her heart
rate back to normal. At last her chills subsided, and she felt a little
stronger and warmer. She met Valerian’s worried gaze.

Please
don’t worry, love. I’ll be all right
.

“One
of these days you may go too far in your Healing, and then what would I do?”

Merry
was saved from having to answer when they heard Kieran stirring. Valerian
lifted her out of his lap so he could stand and help her up. Kieran opened his
eyes and pushed himself to a sitting position. He put a hand to his head and
groaned.

“What
happened?” His eyes tried to focus.

“You
were knocked unconscious.”

“By
whom?” Kieran felt the place where his hair was matted with dried blood.

“Two
ruffians.” Valerian frowned. “They’re nearby, and I must tie them up and make
sure they can no longer harm us. Stay here.”

As
soon as he left, Merry’s legs wobbled, and she fell against Kieran. Slowly she
sank to her knees.

“Easy,
lass. You must have Healed me. Did you?”

She
nodded, checking the pulse in his neck. It was strong and sure, and she sighed
in relief. Kieran took her hand from his neck and kissed it.

“Thank
ye, Merry.” His voice was husky. “I am humbled that you risked your life for
mine.”

She
squeezed his hand. There was no other way to tell him how precious he was to
her.

Valerian
returned and squatted beside Merry.

“What
did you put in that flask?”

She
met his troubled gaze.

Dragon’s
bane. Papa said it worked as a sedative when made into a tea, so I thought
putting it in the flask would do the same
.

“Dragon’s
bane?” Valerian’s eyes widened, and he turned to Kieran. “Isn’t that what the
Horde use to poison their arrows?”

The
squire nodded, and they both stared at Merry. She began to tremble.

What
happened?

“They’re
both dead,” Valerian said. “Dragon’s bane is a deadly poison, and mixed with
fermented wine would probably make it act even faster.”

Merry
covered her mouth, horrified. Spots of light flashed around the edges of her
vision.

I
have broken my Oath of Peace. I have taken a life. Two lives!  Oh, God of
Peace, have mercy
.

She
collapsed and knew no more.

***

“What
happened?” Kieran made a move toward Merry, but then grabbed his head again.

“Sit
there for a while until you feel like you can stand. I think Merry simply
passed out from the shock of her ordeal.”

“Ordeal?”
Kieran frowned.

Valerian
explained how they’d been overcome by the two men, and how Merry had saved all
their lives.

“And
now she thinks she’s broken her oath of peace.” Kieran sighed. “Poor lass.”

Valerian
studied the slant of the sun’s rays through the trees.

“We
have another problem, I’m afraid. You and Merry are in no shape to ride. I’ve
got to find a secure place for a campsite, round up the horses, and dispose of
the bodies before any scavenger dragons come to investigate.”

Kieran
felt along his belt and gasped.

“My
sword and scabbard are gone!”

“Mine,
too,” Valerian said. “Our assailants took them, but they must be in the
clearing somewhere. I need to move the two of you up there before I look for
the horses. Do you feel like you can stand now?”

Kieran
took a deep breath and gingerly touched his head.

“I’ve
got to, don’t I?” he said. Valerian helped him up, and he stood swaying a
little on his feet.

“Don’t
run off. I’ve got to get Merry now.” Valerian gently scooped her into his arms.

“Ach,
Val, I was just going to suggest we should run all the way to the garrison.”
Kieran tried to smile.

“For
now, just hold onto my arm.” They made their way to the clearing where the two
men lay sprawled as they’d died. The fire had burned down. Valerian settled
Kieran at a nearby tree so he could lean against the trunk. Then he laid Merry
beside him with her head pillowed on his squire’s leg.

“Is
that the flask with the dragon’s bane?” Kieran indicated the container beside
the dead men. “I dinna want to accidentally drink of it.”

“Yes.”
Valerian poured the rest of the contents into a thicket and flung the empty
flask into the brush. “I’ll take care of the bodies when I return. Right now, I
want to build up this fire for you and then find our horses.” He spied their
two swords in the scabbards on top of a pile of sleeping furs and secured his
to his belt. Then he placed Kieran’s within his reach and gave him a flask of
water.

He
left Kieran and Merry with a roaring bonfire while he mounted the larger of the
ruffian’s horses. Fortunately, he didn’t have to ride far to find their three
horses grazing downstream. By the time he brought them back, however, the sun
was low on the horizon.

Valerian
rode into their campsite and saw Merry sitting beside Kieran, rocking herself. Kieran
lifted his hands, bewildered.

“I
dinna know what to do, Val. She’s inconsolable.”

“I
know something that might help.” He slid down from the horse and emptied its
saddlebags. Of course, there was nothing to identify who Thrane and Benton had
been working for. Unfortunately, Valerian had only briefly
Seen
Thrane’s
thoughts, and the man had been so full of self-importance he hadn’t even
thought of his master. Likewise, Valerian searched through the packs on the
other horse. Then he struggled to lift Thrane’s body onto one of the horses,
tying it to the saddle.

“Kieran,
do you feel up to helping me with this other one? He’s too big for me to lift
alone.”

Kieran
slowly stood up and nodded.

“Me
head feels like it’s going to stay attached now, thanks to Merry.” Together
they lifted Benton’s body onto the other horse and secured him to the saddle. Valerian
sent the horses away, hoping they would return to their master. Perhaps, it
would send a strong message.

When
he turned back, Merry still rocked herself, and he knelt beside her.

“It’s
too dark for me to hear your words, so you’ll have to listen to mine.” She grew
still. Valerian had never seen her look so defeated. He took her hands.

“Merry,
you know that obedience to the law is important to me.” She nodded. “I know
your Oath must be vitally important to you since it defines who you are as one
of the Brethren.” She flinched but gave him her attention.

“In
the law of Levathia, there is a difference made between deliberate murder and
accidentally causing someone’s death. Surely since our common ancestor founded
the Brethren there has been an incident where someone accidentally caused the
death of a person or an animal?” Her brows furrowed while she thought. At last,
Merry shrugged, but even in the dim light from the fire he could see the hope
in her eyes.

“In
the Holy Writ, the Most High makes a distinction between murder and accidental
death. You acted on the knowledge you had and only intended to put the men to
sleep. Isn’t that right?” She nodded, but tears welled up in her eyes. “Then
you did not deliberately take their lives. In fact, you provided for them a
more merciful death than they would have received under the law.” Her eyes
widened. “It’s true. They were guilty of high treason and would have been
sentenced to an agonizing death.”

“Yes,
Merry,” Kieran said grimly. “I’ve seen it before. Hanged, drawn, and quartered.
A terrible way to die.”

Valerian
let her ponder his words. Her face changed from despair to calm acceptance.

“Are
you better now?” She nodded but did not smile. He turned to Kieran.

“How
is your sense of direction?”

“I
am never lost.” The squire grinned. “O’ course with me head a wee bit swimmy, I
might not be as reliable as usual.”

Valerian
glanced around the clearing. He wished they were at a higher elevation in a
more defensible place.

“I
want to get to the Southern Garrison as quickly as possible without traveling
on the road. Do you think you could find it?”

Kieran
faced the last glow of the setting sun in the west.

“The
garrison is southeast from here, but I’m not sure I could find it in the dark.”

“I
know I couldn’t, but I don’t feel safe spending the night here so close to the
road. Can you and Merry ride a little farther? When I found the horses, I
discovered a bluff not far downriver that would make a safer campsite for the
night.”

“I’m
willing if you are, Merry,” said Kieran. When she nodded, Valerian helped her
and Kieran mount their horses.

They
rode slowly through the forest alongside the river. Their eyes gradually
adjusted to the dim light of stars and a crescent moon, and soon the bluff
loomed ahead. Valerian urged his horse up the steep incline until he reached
the top. There was a cluster of trees but around the perimeter he could see the
approach for a long way. He swung down from the gray. Merry and Kieran got down
more slowly, and Valerian helped Merry unsaddle her horse before his own. Kieran
opened the pack on his saddle and pulled out sleeping furs.

“Are
we going to make a fire?”

“No.”
Valerian opened his pack for the rest of the furs. “I don’t want to attract
attention to our location. If we use all our furs and sleep close together, we’ll
be warm enough.” He found a relatively flat area between the trees and laid two
furs side by side. “Here, Merry, we’ll put you in the middle so Kieran and I
can make a wall around you.”

She
lay down, and Valerian covered her with another fur. Then he and Kieran lay on
either side of her, using the remaining furs for cover.

Kieran
fell asleep right away. But Valerian could tell by Merry’s breathing that she
was still awake, and he turned toward her. Under the trees no light penetrated.
He wondered what Merry was thinking. He didn’t think he had fully convinced her
that she had not broken her Oath. And their ordeal at the hands of Thrane and
Benton must have upset her at least as much as it had troubled him.

“Merry,”
he whispered. “Are you all right?”

In
answer, she moved closer, and he encircled her with his arm. He was afraid to
hold her too close, but he wanted her to feel safe so she might sleep. Not long
afterward her head relaxed against his chest, and he smiled. At least she and
Kieran would get some rest.

Valerian
was reluctant to fall asleep. He couldn’t stop thinking about the one-eared man
and these other two. Were there more out there wanting him dead? And who was
behind it? At every rustle in the undergrowth, every insect and animal sound,
he imagined someone bursting from the trees, ready to kill them. He never
wanted to be surprised like that again.

The
guttural roar of a river dragon sounded in the distance, but after that the
night grew quiet and peaceful. Unfortunately, the silence made his body relax,
since he’d not slept well the night before, either.

Even
as his eyelids drooped, he tried to use his Sight to look outward from himself
in order to stay awake. The next thing he knew he had the sensation of floating
above his sleeping form. He could see himself lying on the ground with Merry
under his arm and Kieran lying on his side next to her. Then he scanned the
bluff, noting the horses standing together, dozing, and beyond them the
movement of a hunting owl and a hunted rodent.

With
a start, he came to himself and woke up. Had he been dreaming? Or had his soul
briefly left his body?

Merry
stirred and turned away from him on her side. Valerian stood, made sure she and
Kieran were covered with the furs, and went to check their surroundings. Once
he stepped out from the trees he could see his breath misting the air by the
moon’s feeble light. The stars densely packed the cold night sky and winked
down at the peaceful setting. If it were this cold already in the south, what
would they encounter on their journey north?

***

While
he and his men drew nearer to Blackwater Garrison, Caelis looked forward to
sleeping in a bed that night, even if it was just a cot. Also, he recalled that
the garrison had managed to obtain a man who was a fine cook. Caelis’ mouth
watered in anticipation of something better than camp food.