The Born Queen - J. Gregory Keyes [123]
“What was that thing?”
“I broke the law of death.”
For a moment Neil was speechless. “My queen, Muriele. She believes she did that, with a curse.”
“Oh, she did the worst of the damage. But my brother Alharyi was dying, and my father always loved him best. He commanded me to stop his death, and I managed it before understanding what I had really done. Once I knew, I tried to mend the law, and I think I might have done it, because I only stopped him from his rightful death, I didn’t bring him back from it. But then Muriele made her curse and brought Robert back, and the law was well and truly breached.”
“What about your brother?”
“He went to Vitellio after Anne. His men found him chopped into many pieces—by your friend Cazio, I think. The parts were still alive. There is a ritual. The power was passed on to my cousin Hrothwulf, whom you cut into pieces.” She shrugged. “Anyway, after making my brother a nauschalk I no longer wanted any part of it. I made my escape.”
“And willingly returned. Because of me. Because of duty to Hansa.”
“Because of duty to the world,” she replied. “I am in part responsible for what is coming. I must do what I can to stop it, although I don’t think there’s much hope.”
“Stop what?”
“Your queen, Anne.”
“Why? I know your father wants Crotheny.”
“Oh, yes, he does,” Brinna said. “But I wouldn’t have returned here to feed his ambition. I wouldn’t be a part of a war waged because of an old man’s vanity.”
“Then why?”
“Because if she isn’t stopped, Anne will destroy us all.”
The forest smelled fresh, of evergreen and rain. Muriele tried to focus on that, on seeing beauty at the end of her life, trying to not have fear be her last feeling.
Everyone dies, she thought. If not now, later. There is no escape.
But that was not what her gut told her. She wanted to beg, and every moment brought it closer to the surface.
How far was it, this bog? How long did she have to live?
Berimund was resolved; she could see that. The boy in him was hidden again, replaced by the hard man he was becoming.
She wished she could see Anne once more. There were things she should have told her when she had the chance.
Had Anne foreseen this? Part of her wondered. Had her own daughter sent her to her death? Was some greater purpose being served?
She had to be brave a little while longer.
“Berimund,” she murmured. “One thing, please.”
“What’s that?”
“Let Sir Neil and Alis take my body to Liery. Give me that, at least: a resting place with my ancestors.”
Berimund’s response was to look at her as if she were crazy, and her heart sank.
“You don’t think I’m actually going to kill you, do you?” he exploded.
She was afraid to understand that at first.
“But Marcomir—”
“That’s Father. He’s old, near to losing his mind. I won’t execute you on his whim. It goes against all honor and all common decency. My brothers may do his every bidding, but I will not.”
Muriele felt relief, but it was guarded. “Where are we going, then?”
“A place only my wulfbrothars and I know about,” he said. “A place we found during our roving days. You’ll be safe there until I can either calm him down or arrange passage for you back to Eslen.”
“You would do that?”
Berimund nodded grimly. “I am no traitor,” he said. “Our war with Crotheny is just, holy, and right. But that means our actions have to be just, holy, and right. I will not become evil to fight evil.”
“My daughter isn’t evil,” Muriele said.
“I wouldn’t expect you to believe so,” Berimund replied.
“Do you think I am evil?”
He shook his head. “I think you are in every way honorable.” He smiled. “And I’ve never heard anyone talk like that to my father. For that alone, I would spare you.”
“Then how can you imagine I would serve an evil cause?”
“Without knowing you do so,” he said.
“Couldn’t the same