The Spirit Stone - Katharine Kerr [126]
Someone knocked on their chamber door.
‘Who is it?’ Branna called out.
‘Salamander, escaped at last. Are you decent?’
‘What? Of course we are!’
Without waiting to be invited, a pale and weary Salamander opened the door and slipped in, shutting it firmly behind him. ‘If anyone comes looking for me,’ he said, ‘I’m not here.’
‘What’s happened?’ Neb said, grinning. ‘You look like Lady Adranna’s been trying to poison you or suchlike.’
‘Poison would be a relief.’ With a groan Salamander flopped into the only chair. ‘I’ve been slaving away in the great hall, performing tricks and telling tales for the noble-born until my poor throat’s practically stripped raw.’ He flapped one hand in Branna’s direction. ‘Your uncle’s going to owe me a winter’s maintenance at least.’
‘Oh, I’m sure you’ll be welcome, but it’ll mean telling more tales.’ Branna picked up the herbal, which had been lying next to her on the bed. ‘Let me see, Bardek wine’s a good remedy for an aching throat, but I don’t think Cook’s got any left. Perhaps I can find somewhat else.’
‘Horehound,’ Neb said, ‘the whole herb, minced, steeped, and reduced to syrup with honey water.’
‘Aha!’ Salamander said. ‘You’ve been studying.’
‘We have. Branni, do you think Cook has any horehound?’
‘She should. It’s blooming in the meadows, or at least it was, if all those horses haven’t eaten it. Gods, there’s a lot of them! And the men, too, and the servants—’ Branna shook her head in wonder. ‘It’s almost as many people as live in Cengarn, isn’t it?’
‘A few less.’ Salamander grinned at her. ‘Which reminds me. I’ve been scrying, and the army should arrive soon. Ridvar’s left Cengarn.’
Branna felt a stab of grief, so sick at heart that she nearly wept.
‘What’s wrong?’ Neb reached over and clasped her hand.
‘I’m frightened. My uncle, and Gerran, and my father—all the men, really. Who knows what will happen to them?’ She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. ‘Neb, you’d best start spending time with your brother.’
‘He’s going to the war?’ Salamander sounded astonished. ‘He’s but eight summers old!’
‘He’s Gerran’s page now,’ Neb said. ‘Where his lord goes, he goes. That’s one reason I wanted to go with the army, to look after Clae.’
‘I’ll do the looking after, then,’ Salamander said. ‘I shall be you, scribe and brother and all.’
‘My very great thanks,’ Neb said. ‘Truly, that’s most generous of you.’
‘I just hope he won’t take it amiss.’
‘I’ll tell him that he has to listen to you.’
‘Well and good, then.’ Salamander paused, thinking. ‘What about Matto? They must be taking him along, too. He’s the prince’s hostage, after all.’
‘They’re not,’ Branna joined in. ‘Voran sent a message about that, asking Mirryn to stand surety for the lad.’
‘Good. He’ll doubtless be happier after Gerran and I are gone. If naught else, at least he’ll be willing to take his meals in the great hall.’
‘No doubt,’ Branna said. ‘When do you think the army will get here?’
‘Soon. A couple of days. I’ll tell you if I see anything untoward. ’
Perhaps the strangest thing of all, Branna decided, was how normal and ordinary it seemed to have a master of dweomer discussing an event happening far away. Only a few short months ago she would have laughed in scorn at anyone who’d tried to tell her that a person could know what was happening forty miles off. Now she knew that the world was not only bigger, but far stranger than she’d ever believed.
That night, she stood at her chamber window looking out at the stars. Where was the silver dragon lairing, she wondered, on such a fine night? Surely not in some squalid cave. Someday, she told herself, I’ll have a chance to speak with him.
‘Oh do come lie down!’ Neb already lounged on their bed. ‘Are you thinking about that wretched dragon again?’
‘I am, truly. He’s just such a puzzle to me. I know Jill made a vow to free him from his evil wyrd. Getting himself turned into a dragon must be the evil, wouldn’t you think?’
‘I would.’
‘I’m assuming that I’ll have much to say to him when we finally meet, but I don’t know what it would be.’
‘Well, since