The Blood Knight - J. Gregory Keyes [60]
“My day improved considerably when I discovered that you were still alive,” Cazio said. He rubbed his head ruefully. “I was a poor guardian to you—to the both of you. I have apologized to Austra, and now I apologize to you.”
“You risked your life for us, Cazio,” Anne said.
“Anyone can risk his life,” Cazio replied. “A man with no skill and no wits could die for you. I had hoped I was better than that. If I had died preventing you from being taken, that would have been one thing. But to be left, humiliated, in the wake of your kidnap—”
“—is a matter of personal pride,” Anne finished. “Don’t be foolish, Cazio. I am alive, as you see. We were all caught sleeping: Aspar, Sir Neil, Frete Stephen, myself. You were in good company.”
“It won’t happen again,” Cazio said adamantly.
“If that pleases you,” Anne replied.
Cazio nodded. “This lady, she is related to you?”
“Elyoner? Yes, she’s my aunt, my father’s sister.”
“And she is trustworthy?”
“I have chosen to trust her. If you see evidence that I should not, however, please bring it to my attention.”
Cazio nodded. “Where are we going?” he asked.
“Glenchest, her residence,” Anne replied.
“And what will we do there?”
“We will plan to go to war, I suppose,” Anne replied.
“Ah. Well, you will let me know when I can be of aid, then, yes?”
“Yes.”
“Anne!” Elyoner’s voice wafted forward. “Be a dear and send that Vitellian fellow back. I’ve begun to find this ride exceedingly boring.”
“His king’s tongue is rather poor,” Anne answered.
“Fatio Vitelliono,” she replied sweetly. “Benos, mi della.”
“She speaks my language,” Cazio said happily.
“Yes,” Anne replied. “So it seems. And I’m sure she wants to practice with you.”
He glanced back. “Should I?” he asked.
“Yes,” Anne replied. “But be cautious; my aunt can be dangerous to a man of virtue.”
Cazio smiled and replaced his broad-brimmed hat. “If I meet such a man, then,” he said, “I shall be sure to warn him.”
He turned and rode back.
Austra watched him go with a rather disconcerted look on her face.
“Austra,” Anne said. “The men who abducted you—did they say anything?”
“They thought I was you,” Austra said, “or thought I might be.”
Anne nodded. “I had the same impression, that their description of me wasn’t very good. Did they mention anyone by name?” Anne asked.
“Anyone at all?”
“Not that I remember.”
“Did they touch you?”
“Of course. They tied me up, put me on horseback—”
“That’s not what I meant,” Anne said.
“Not—oh. No, nothing like that. I mean they talked about it, threatened me with it even, trying to get me to say whether I was you or not. But they didn’t actually do anything.” Her eyes suddenly widened. “Anne, did they—were you—?”
Anne jerked her head back toward Wist. “He tried. Something happened.”
“Let Sir Neil kill him,” Austra gritted. “Or tell Cazio and let him challenge him to a duel.”
“No. He failed, and I still may have use for him,” Anne said. She studied the reins in her hands. “Something happened, Austra. The man who kidnapped me, he died.”
“Did you—did you kill him, the way you killed those horrible men in the grove?”
“I killed the men in the grove by wishing them dead,” Anne said. “There was power there, beneath me, like a well of water I could drop my bucket into. I felt their insides, and I twisted them. It was the same as when I blinded the knight back in Vitellio or when I made Erieso sick—just, well, more.
“But this was different. The man who abducted me was killed by a demon. I saw her.”
“Her?”
Anne shrugged. “I went to some other place. I think she followed me back. She stopped Wist from raping me.”
“Maybe she isn’t a demon, then,” Austra said. “Maybe she’s more of a guardian angel.”
“You didn’t see her, Austra. She was terrible. I don’t even know who I can ask about these things.”
“Well, Frete Stephen seemed to know a lot,” Austra said, her voice sounding sorrowful. “But I suppose he’s—”
“He’s fine,” Anne said. “And needed elsewhere.”
“Really? How do you know that?”
Anne thought about