Naamah's Curse - Jacqueline Carey [103]
Valentina gave her broken laugh, hands rising involuntarily to stifle it. “Moirin. It is you. So Aleksei… he did it. He did it. Oh, God. God have mercy on me. I was afraid he wouldn’t. Will you…?”
I nodded. “I will try.”
She glanced at her son. In the twilight, the tears in her eyes shone like stars. “Aleksei…”
He embraced her. “Mother.”
Valentina clung to her tall, broad-shouldered son like a drowning woman—and mayhap she was. My heart ached for the both of them. She tugged his head down to her shoulder and whispered somewhat in his ear. What she said to him, I could not say. Even if I could have heard it, I would not have listened.
Aleksei nodded, tears streaking his cheeks.
I peered through the small window set into the outer door. It was hard to gauge the hour in the twilight, but the summer nights were short, and every hour of darkness was precious. “My lady, I’m sorry, but we have to go.”
“Go.” With an effort, she released her son, turning him loose. “Go. For what it is worth, go with my blessing.”
“A mother’s blessing is worth a great deal,” I murmured. “I will not forget this.” I kissed her cheek. “Thank you, a thousand times over. Thank you.”
Valentina nodded. “You are a mother’s child, too, Moirin. I can only begin to imagine how much she is missing you. For her sake, I pray you come home to her someday.”
Oh, it hurt.
“So do I.” It was all I could say, all I had to say. Valentina gave her son one last, long embrace, and then opened the door for us.
The street was empty and quiet. Aleksei squared his shoulders and began walking purposefully.
I ran after him. “Wait! Aleksei, you mean to go on foot?”
He gave me a blank look. “How else?”
“I was brought here in a wagon. I know cart-horses are not ideal for riding, but it’s faster than walking.” I cast around with my senses. “The stable’s over there, is it not?”
“Moirin, you can’t steal the Church’s horses!”
“Oh, yes, I can. Your precious Church didn’t hesitate to steal me.” Aleksei’s delicate sensibilities were beginning to grate on my nerves. I set out in the direction of the stable. “You’d best stay close to me,” I said over my shoulder. “Else you’ll lose the cover of the twilight. I can only extend it so far, for so long.”
He followed, silent.
The cart-horses were drowsing in their stalls, heads nodding low. I glanced around and quickly determined there was no riding tack, only the wagon and harness gear.
“That’s because they’re not for riding,” Aleksei murmured. “Moirin, can we please go now?”
Ignoring him, I spun the twilight over one of the horses. He lifted his head, lambent eyes open and gleaming. I blew softly into his nostrils, touching his thoughts. “You’re a big, strong fellow, aren’t you?” I whispered. “Strong enough to carry us both.” The cart-horse pricked his ears in agreement and lipped at the trailing ends of my head-scarf. I smiled and unlatched the door to his stall.
“Moirin!” Aleksei sounded near to panic.
“It’s all right.” There was no mounting block, but the wagon would serve. I clambered onto it. The cart-horse moved obligingly into place for me. I grabbed a double fistful of his mane and swung myself astride. “Come on,” I said to Aleksei. “You’ll have to ride behind me.”
He gazed uncertainly at me.
I sighed. “We’ll turn him loose at the end of the day. Like as not, he’ll find his way home.”
“It might give our direction away.”
“It might,” I agreed. “But not our destination, and we’ll have gained a sizable lead. Aleksei, I haven’t eaten in three days. Thanks to your uncle’s penance, I have shooting pains in my knees. I’m not even used to taking full strides. I won’t get far on foot. So are you coming with me or not?”
Without a word, he climbed onto the wagon, then scrambled awkwardly astride behind me while the patient cart-horse stood motionless.
“Ready?” I asked when Aleksei was settled. Although he’d wedged the bundle of supplies between us, his entire body was rigid at the forced contact