The Born Queen - J. Gregory Keyes [161]
“Yes.”
Aspar rose and collected the ax. He found a bow and a few arrows, a dirk, then a horse. Emfrith’s men stayed with him.
He wondered where Ehawk was. He hoped he was with Leshya but didn’t have time to search the dead.
The battle on the ridge seemed to be over, too. At least he didn’t see anything moving up there anymore.
He rode south, along the valley bottom.
Fend was waiting for him.
CHAPTER FOUR
OVER BLUFF AND DOWN SLOUGH
NEIL’S STEED stumbled, tried to catch her stride, then stopped and tossed her head, blowing. Her coat was slick with foam, and her withers trembled. Neil leaned forward and stroked her neck, speaking to her in his native language.
“It’ll be fine, girl,” he told her. “The prince says we’ll be giving you a rest in less than a league. But I need you to go now, yes? Let’s do it.”
He gave her a gentle nudge, and she started gamely forward, finally working up to match the canter of the others.
“It’s a beautiful evening,” he told the mare. “Look at the sun there, on the water.”
Three days of hard riding had brought them to an old coastal trail that wound over bluff and down slough. The sun was going home, and Saltmark Sound was skinned copper.
Part of him yearned toward that water, those islands, to be adrift in those terrible and familiar waters. He had been too long landlocked.
But he had things to do, didn’t he? What his heart wanted was no matter at all.
That sent him glancing ahead to where Brinna rode behind her brother, looking paler and less well than he had ever seen her. She had never ridden a horse, much less endured the tortures of a hard ride of many days. He was sore to the bone; he couldn’t imagine how she must feel. To even remain mounted she had to be belted to Berimund. He feared in his bones she wouldn’t survive.
As the sun touched the water, they came to an old castle on a little spit of stone sticking out into the sea. Barnacles up its walls showed that during the highest tides it must be cut off entirely from land. The tide was rising now but was far from high enough to cover the causeway, so they rode in to change their horses, the third time they had done so since starting their push for Crotheny. Berimund was being careful. The first of his friends he had visited had told him his father had put a price on his head and on the head of every man who aided him.
So they traveled ways less straight and warded than the great Vitellian Way.
They didn’t stop for long. Neil kissed the mare on her soaking forehead as they led her away and met his new mount, Friufahs, a roan gelding. He was introducing himself when he heard Brinna say something he couldn’t make out.
“It’s not seemly,” he heard Berimund answer.
“Nevertheless,” Brinna replied, “it is my wish.”
His gaze attracted by the conversation, Neil saw Berimund looking at him.
The Hansan walked over. “You have been alone with my sister on more than one occasion.”
“That’s true,” Neil said.
“Have you been improper with her?”
Neil straightened. “I understand you might doubt me, but why would you cast such aspersions on your sister, sir?”
“My sister is both very wise and very naïve. She has not known many men, Sir Neil. I’m only asking you for the truth.”
“Nothing inappropriate happened,” Neil said. “Not when we were alone. When she set me off her ship in Paldh, I did kiss her. I did not mean to dishonor her in any way.”
“She told me about that. She told me she asked you to kiss her.”
He nodded.
“You did not think that part worth telling, although not doing so would put you in my ill graces?”
“It is her business,” Neil said, “and not my place to make excuses.”
“You admit, then, that you should have refused her?”
“I should have. I can’t say I’m sorry I didn’t.”
“I see.”
He looked out at the half-vanished sun. “She wants to ride with you for a while,” he said. “I don’t think it’s right, but she is my sister, and I love her. Do not take undue advantage, sir.”
He returned to Brinna and helped her over and up behind Neil. He felt her there, taut as a cord, as Berimund strapped them together. Her arms