The Born Queen - J. Gregory Keyes [179]
“Hespero,” Anne snarled, and became.
All the rage was there, waiting for her, welcoming her back into her poor abused—and nearly completely healed—body.
She reached out around her, looking for the praifec, brushing aside something near, a heavy, familiar presence that suddenly shrank away.
Then she saw the Kept, floating there, waiting for her.
At your service, great queen,” the demon said. I am here for you.
“You promised to heal the law of death and die.”
And so I shall, with your help, Qexqaneh replied. But you have things to do first.
“Yes,” Anne snarled. “Yes, I do.”
And the Kept took her up in his coils, and they went to Hespero’s army.
Edwyn Mylton was graying, long-limbed, and awkward, but he had the eyes of a child with an active imagination and plans his parents wouldn’t approve of.
“What sort of trouble are you getting me into this time, Leoff?” he asked.
“You won’t believe it, I think,” Leoff said, “and it is exceedingly dangerous. But I have to ask you. There’s no one else I can think of.”
Edwyn peered down his uneven nose for a moment. “I suppose I had better agree, then, before I know the details.” He nodded at Areana. “Frauye Leovigild, it’s wonderful to see you again.”
“I wish it were as happy as the last occasion,” she replied.
“Yes, well, the company is still good,” he said. “Most of it.” He nodded significantly toward the door.
“Berimund and his men are our friends,” Leoff said. “Or at least we share some goals. We can trust them, I think.”
“I trust your judgment, Leoff, but they were a little rough in collecting me.”
“I’m sorry, old friend; that was a pretense to satisfy any curious Hansans watching.”
“Yes, so they explained, but I had a bit of trouble believing it until now. So what are we doing, then?”
“We’re going to sing with the dead,” Leoff replied. Despite all his worries, he still managed to enjoy the expression on Edwyn’s face.
Brinna handed Neil a small vial containing a greenish elixir.
“This should help,” she said. “It’s something I concocted from an old herbal, long ago, at my brother’s request. He’s hard on the drink.”
Neil hesitated at the scent.
“What? Do you fear I would poison you? Or are you afraid it’s a love philter?”
The elixir was as astringent and as strong as the drink he’d shared with Alis, but it did make him feel better. He’d been foolish; he might have to fight today. He should be at his best, even if that wasn’t very good.
“Will this work?” he asked. “This thing you’re going to do?”
She parted her hands. “I can’t see that, if that’s what you mean. But it might. That’s something to hope on. But you and my brother, you must keep us safe until we are done. Then, whatever happens, we must find each other. I do not want to die without you.”
“I don’t want you to die at all,” Neil said.
She placed her hand on his. “If we survive, Sir Neil, will you take me away?”
“Wherever you want.”
“Someplace where neither of us has any duties,” she said. “That’s what I would like.”
He gripped her fingers in his. Then he leaned toward her until her eyes were very close.
She bent her head, and their lips touched, and all he wanted was to take her away right then and there, forget the war, the law of death, everything. Didn’t they deserve…
She touched his cheek, and he saw that she understood what he was thinking, and she turned her head just slightly from side to side. Then she got up and gently untangled her fingers from his.
“Remember your promise,” she said. “Find me if I do not find you.”
“How will we know when you’ve finished?”
“Somehow, I think you will know,” she replied.
Marché Hespero drew on the faneway of Diuvo and made himself small in the eyes of the sky and of men.
The fighting had ceased at nightfall, at his order. Although his body was warded against steel, there were some things that might do him harm; the blow of a lance or mace, though it would not cut his skin, might well break bones and organs through the skin. And a splintered lance, a broken arrow—he frankly wasn’t certain