From Darkness Won - Jill Williamson [100]
Madam? Gren is married?
Averella, please. You know fully well the details of Riga Hoff’s death and how his widow came to be in Carmine.
I do? She suddenly recalled that Harnu had called Gren a widow. She squeezed her hands in frustration. According to Gren, we left Carmine together. We went to Sitna to meet up with some of her old friends. That is where I was caught. Reggio Levy had me thrown in the dungeon, so Gren says. And Mother says I was stormed, which is to have the soul parted from the body. Lord Nathak planned to take my body to Mahanaim in a coffin. And Lady Fallina made horrible accusations of me. Prince Gidon was finally able to bring me back to myself. Yet they tell me that I— No. She could not bear to tell Bran that she supposedly loved Prince Gidon.
The heat in Bran’s chest melted. Averella, I am sorry I spoke harshly. You have gone through a terrible ordeal. And if you have truly lost your memory, I had no cause to speak to you so. But you must turn back. A war is brewing in the south. It is not a safe place for two women to travel.
There are four in our party, Master Rennan. Gren’s friends from Sitna. A blacksmith named Harnu Poe and a stableman named Noam Fox.
I know these men from my time in Sitna. They are not soldiers.
Bran’s voice soothed her. She found it familiar and comfortable, no matter what he said. Is there no chance of you and I reconciling?
She could feel Bran’s stomach tighten. If I believed you loved me… Yes, I would try again. But, Averella, give it time. Your memory will return, and when it does, you’ll know that the prince is the man for you. I only hope, for your sake, that he is a more patient man than I.
“We must help them, naturally,” Gren said. “Achan needs men of such quality. Sir Jax, Sir Rigil, and Bran can do him no good in prison.”
Averella and Gren now sat on one side of the table, across from Noam and Harnu, in the main room of the cabin.
“I do not doubt Sir Rigil or Master Rennan’s experience with a sword,” Averella said, “nor their loyalty to the rightful king. I do not know Sir Jax. Which house does he serve?”
Gren put a hand on Averella’s back. “You know Sir Jax well, my lady. He escorted you from Walden’s Watch to Mahanaim. He’s a dear friend to you, so you said.”
Averella wished she could remember. Not knowing the past was giving her a headache. Her left side ached, as well. And her dress had so little structure she felt indecent before these men. If only she had changed into her own dress before leaving her room. “We must do what we can. Perhaps someone loyal to Prince Oren’s cause could assist us.”
“Achan’s cause,” Gren said. “For Prince Oren swore fealty to him. Achan showed me Prince Oren’s ring.”
My, how much had happened in so short a time.
Harnu crossed his arms across his chest. “If we can’t find anyone to help, how will we get to the dungeon?”
“In all the times I have visited, I have never seen the dungeons,” Averella said.
Gren took Averella’s hand and squeezed. “But you have, my lady! It’s where you nursed Achan back to life.”
Of course. Averella had forgotten that part of the story. “Well, I remember nothing of that time.”
“Servants might talk,” Harnu suggested. “I bet they don’t like what’s happening with the change of leadership.”
“We’d have to be careful,” Noam said. “Asking the wrong servant could get us arrested.”
“Master Poe, you are a forbidding fellow,” Averella said, taking in his muscular arms. “And my green travel dress is plain enough to allow me to pass as a merchant’s wife. Let us pose as man and wife. Master Fox, you and Gren can be our servants. We shall claim to be fleeing Darkness and offer our services to the New Council Mother told me about. That should be enough to get us inside the city. Have you any fabric, Gren? Perhaps you could make Master Poe a merchant’s tunic.”
“The bedspread might work.” Gren got up and entered the bedroom.
Averella smiled at the men. “We ride for Mahanaim in the morning. Pray that Arman will guide our steps.”
• • •
Averella’s decision