From Darkness Won - Jill Williamson [176]
Bodwin’s gaze fell on Sparrow and Esper, and his expression darkened. “Why are women being present for such a meeting? It’s being bad luck to be having women involved in matters of war.”
“Lady Averella is here at my personal invitation,” Sir Eagan said.
Bodwin waved at Esper. “But Sir Caleb’s wife…”
“Is here as my chaperone,” Sparrow said. “Surely you must agree that it would be improper for a lady to be in a secluded meeting with ten men.”
“That never stopped you before,” Achan mumbled.
Sparrow’s cheeks flushed pink, and when she spoke, she still did not look his way. “That is true, Your Highness. But I am turning over a new petal in an effort to become the flower you once proclaimed me to be.”
This time Achan’s cheeks flamed, more so when he caught Shung’s smile. Something funny, Shung?
Shung’s grin widened.
“So tell us the tale, Sir Eagan,” Sir Caleb said. “How did you come to free the prisoners? And what brought you into the company of Lady Averella?”
“Well, Your Highness,” Sir Eagan said, “my report goes thusly. I entered Mahanaim with Captain Demry’s men. My mission was to slip up to the Hadad’s tower and assassinate him. Little did I know what Lady Averella and her companions were up to. Her tale must come first. Just as Captain Demry attacked, Lady Averella took a boat to a secret entrance to the dungeon. Posing as Lady Viola, she was able to reach the cell with the guard’s help. Then—and this part will please you, I suspect, Your Highness—Lady Averella took out the guard using a leg sweep.” Sir Eagan raised his dark eyebrows and smiled. “What do you think of that?”
Achan tried not to smile. “I’m glad she learned something in her time with us despicable men.”
Sir Caleb kicked Achan under the table.
Sparrow’s spine straightened. She tipped up her chin, but looked at her trencher when she spoke. “Besides the leg sweep, Your Highness, I also learned to scratch, burp, and spit during my time with you. So I too am thankful to have learned something useful.”
Esper held her hand over her mouth to suppress a giggle.
Achan drew in a breath, wanting to spit back something cutting, for Sparrow baited him like no other, but Sir Eagan clapped Achan’s shoulder.
“Then Lady Averella challenged the freed soldiers to weaken Mahanaim from the inside. Shortly thereafter, she, Madam Hoff, and Noam met up with me atop the Hadad’s tower. I pulled my knife on Lady Averella, for which I pray she forgives me.”
“Of course I forgive you, Father. There was a battle going on, and I was wearing armor and a helm over my face.”
Father. Achan looked from one to the other, seeing the similarities now. The hair, the round face, the light skin. How could he have missed it?
“How came you to wear this armor?” Sir Caleb asked.
“Noam and Gren scavenged it in the courtyard. We were helping some of the wounded as we made our way inside.”
Sir Eagan chuckled. “Which is where she got the title Iamos, for the men believed they saw the healing goddess, her brother, and her maiden walking among them.”
“I told them all that I was not Iamos,” Sparrow said. “No one wanted to hear it, though.”
“When I recognized Lady Averella, I put away my blade,” Sir Eagan said. “The Hadad’s tower was locked from inside. While Noam and I tried and failed to break down the door, Lady Averella went out the window.”
“Of the watchtower?” Achan asked.
“Aye. Skirting the decorative ledge. Gowzals attacked her, but she still managed to dive in through the window and open the door. The Hadad awoke, though, and tried to control Averella, to make her kill me. But she fooled the old man and used Rhomphaia to finish him.”
A gasp escaped Achan. Sparrow had killed Macoun Hadar? He glanced at Sparrow, then back to Sir Eagan. “But Sir Gavin told me you killed Macoun Hadar.”
“Forgive me, Your Highness.