The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice Read online

  The three men hurriedly pulled Edric’s boots from his feet, rolling up the hem of his trousers to expose the skin on his lower leg. Without Neomi’s daunting presence Edric was able to focus on the marks there, immediately aware of the swelling to his shin. Other than a few minor bruises he could see no severe injury. Hating him or not, Neomi had done an impressive job at tending his wounds. Had he not been so intimidated by her, he might have expressed his gratitude more appropriately.

  At the sound of Sahra’s return Gadiel patted Edric on the shoulder, his voice booming loudly through the tent. “I think he’ll live, Captain. Looks like you’re stuck with him a while longer.”

  “Good. We’re going to need all the hands we can get,” Callum agreed. Unfazed by Sahra’s arrival he motioned for her to come closer, gesturing to the ground beside him. Edric felt a moment of panic to think of a woman like her getting anywhere near Callum. He was eased by the realization that Callum would never fall for her antics. “Lieutenant. Go ahead and place the blankets over there. We need to finish this briefing so we can get to sleep.”

  “Captain, you do realize the sun has yet to set?” Sahra asked, confused by everyone’s insistence on going to bed. “We have not even eaten dinner.”

  Callum pointed to the floor beside him. “Have a seat. The three of us have to be awake early. You do not. We will discuss the details and then you can make sure the other men are fed and taken care of in whatever way you feel they must. The Prince needs his rest after the events of this afternoon. He has been assaulted and nearly frozen to death.”

  Doing as she was told Sahra sat on the ground beside Callum, her eyes shifting uncomfortably between the men. She was no fool. Edric could tell she was aware of the discussion held between them while she was away, to some extent. Her past with Gadiel was enough to make it clear to her that she had been the topic of conversation during her absence. The guilt in her eyes was too prominent.

  Comforted in having Gadiel and Callum there Edric leaned back, propping his upper body on his hands where they lay flattened against the floor. “So what are your thoughts on the idea of us going along on this trip?” he asked lightly. “Neomi was quite clear in her orders that the three of us would accompany her. Who will watch over the men?”

  “Tamas is a reliable commander. New, but trustworthy. This will be a good test of his command skills,” Callum glanced at Sahra. “The Lieutenant here will keep a good watch on him. I expect a full report of any troubles you experience while we’re gone. See that the men do as Tamas says. We want to make a good impression on the Ovatai. The best way to do that is to have an organized and effective military.”

  Edric pondered Callum’s plan. He didn’t know Tamas very well. A younger recruit, not having been in the Royal Army for more than eight years. His promotion to commander had come rather suddenly. Zander Tercsin, a long-time friend of the Queen, had served as a commander for decades under General Cadell since the battle against the Ven’shal. His unexpected decision to retire left the position open with few candidates to take his place. Tamas had been chosen over many fine soldiers based on his performance during training exercises and a natural aptitude for leadership. Edric just had to wonder whether a few games in practice were enough to prepare him to command hundreds of men in the absence of the Captain.

  “Are you sure that is a wise idea?” Sahra argued. “Commander Taeth would be more suitable for the task. Could you not insist he remain behind for the sake of the troops?”

  “Gadiel will accompany us to Isavo with Neomi and her warriors. That is final unless you can present evidence as to why Tamas is incapable of performing his duties. He is a commander, after all. What good is the title if he isn’t given an opportunity to use it?”

  “He is unseasoned, Captain. I mean no disrespect but I am not confident he is ready for a responsibility like this.”

  “Either provide an example, Lieutenant, or hold your tongue.”

  Chuckling to himself Edric watched Callum’s hardened expression, unable to keep the smile from his lips. In that instant he resembled General Cadell more than Edric had ever seen before. The tone of his voice reminded Edric of the times he’d heard Cadell chastise them as children while trying to teach them how to use the weapons they now relied on in this war. “You are going to make a fine general,” he grinned. “For a moment I thought you were your father.”

  The stern line of Callum’s mouth broke into a faint smirk. He had spent enough time around Cadell over the years. It was expected that he would pick up a few of his father’s qualities along the way. He would need them if he was going to step into the role after Cadell relinquished it. The troops had been led by Cadell for so many years. Edric doubted whether anyone other than Callum was capable of filling his shoes. “That is a frightening thought,” he chortled, relaxing somewhat while still maintaining a slight rigidness in his posture. “I can say without doubt that my father would make the same call if he was in my place. What is your opinion, Gadiel?”

  “On Tamas or your father, Captain?” Gadiel laughed. “Either way, I agree with you. Tamas is capable of keeping the men in line for a few days. Your father would not have promoted him if he didn’t have faith in his ability to do so.”

  “Then it’s settled. At dawn we will be awake and ready to go on Neomi’s order. I will choose the men who will accompany us before I retire for the night so there is no confusion come morning. Lieutenant, I would like to see you present at the time of our departure along with Commander Tamas, so I expect you to let go of whatever negative thoughts you harbor and support him until we return. Can I trust you to do this?”

  Averting her eyes from Callum’s pressing gaze Sahra nodded in agreement, her lips pursed, embarrassed by his dismissal of her concerns. Edric wondered if they should have been taken more seriously while he couldn’t deny the lack of evidence she provided to back her claims. Had she been able to give an example, he had no doubt Callum would have listened.

  Satisfied by the decision Callum rose to his feet, beckoning Gadiel and Sahra to do the same. “It is time for us to be on our way, then,” he said calmly, directing the others toward the flap of the tent and back into the brisk wind outside. “Your Highness, try to get some sleep,” he added. “If our meeting with Neomi this evening was any indication of how our trip will be, you are going to need it. Just remember what I said. Try to make peace. Think about that and I will see you in the morning.”

  The sun had yet to rise when Neomi walked through the door of her hut, securing the bow at her back, making sure the quiver around her thigh was filled. She hadn’t been able to sleep. Occasionally her mind drifted, only to be awoken again by the screaming voice of her conscience. Her behavior in front of the Vor’shai men was unacceptable. The bola which had injured their Prince was outside of her control. He gave the signal of attack. To not respond violently would have caused her people to question her ability to lead them in battle regardless of whether she knew he was harmless. It was his own fault. Next time he might think before he acted in a country where he clearly lacked the knowledge of their customs.

  She worried about the injuries the Prince sustained. If there had been more time she would have found a more effective way to correct the wounds. Minor fractures. Nothing more than a crack in the bone where the heavy balls from the bola connected with his legs. The exchange of energy she provided had hastened the regeneration process of the bone but the mention of the Ythes warrior in their custody had distracted her from finishing what she started.

  In the open air of the camp Neomi heard some of the men rousing from their slumber. Preparing for the journey they were about to take. She planned only a minimal number of warriors. Too many would draw attention from the Avaern. Hopefully the Vor’shai Captain would heed her request when choosing his men. In hindsight she recognized the importance of specifying the size of the group she had in mind. No more than ten, Vor’shai and Ovatai combined. There was no sense in worrying about it, however. It was a simple matter
of telling him no if he brought too many men to the meeting point at sunrise. This was her operation and she’d made that very clear to him. He wouldn’t argue. If he did, she would put him in his place easily enough.

  Curious about the visiting soldiers, she made her way to the edge of the camp, peering into the darkness at the tents speckling the white landscape. Torches were lit along tiny paths between each tent, providing light for those who had need to traverse the area. Movement from the middle of the Vor’shai base indicated someone was awake. Her foot stepped forward, sinking into the snow where she came to stop once again. What was she thinking? She couldn’t wander into their camp. It wasn’t appropriate to be so close to them while they slept.

  Guilt wasn’t an emotion she was accustomed to feeling. Why it tormented her so much over that fatuous Prince was a mystery. She wanted to talk to him. If he was the one awake in their camp now, it would be easy to slip into their midst to check on him and be back to the meeting point by the designated time. There were plenty of excuses she could use. He was injured because of her. No one would argue if she wanted to investigate his well-being. Possibly finish the job she’d started in mending the wound. But that was foolish. She couldn’t talk to him. Something about him rattled her confidence in a way that made her uncomfortable. He had less of an effect on her when she was cruel to him. They could worry about making nice when the existence of her people wasn’t at stake.

  “Neomi, the men are ready.”

  Moinie’s voice drew Neomi from her thoughts, the discomfort she’d been feeling quickly dissipating as she turned to face her friend. “Good,” she stated calmly, folding her arms across her chest in a display of confidence. Moinie couldn’t be allowed to see the confusion which tormented her. “I expect the Vor’shai Captain will have his men here soon. We need to be on our way immediately when the sky is light enough to guide us.”

  “How many soldiers does he intend to bring?”

  “I do not know. I directed him to include those present for our meeting yesterday. Anyone else will be at his discretion.”

  Narrowing her eyes Moinie stared at Neomi through the dim light of the morning sky. Their brilliant blue glow flashed, her disapproval evident through the sliver of her eyelids. “You invited their Prince?”

  Neomi’s face fell at the accusation. Damn. She hadn’t been thinking. At the time it made sense to invite those who were witness to the information provided in the journal. They would have a better idea of what was being sought on the journey than someone who hadn’t seen the pictures. Who the men were never crossed her mind. “An oversight,” she frowned. “I cannot go back on it now. If I am to present an image of command over these men, my orders must be adhered to. Changing them on a whim makes us look fickle. I am not a capricious woman and I refuse to give them the impression of inconsistency.”

  “You worry too much about what those men think. What we must be cautious of is the inclusion of a man who has demonstrated an obvious disregard of etiquette toward you. He cannot be trusted and I must advise against allowing him to accompany us to Isavo.”

  “I distrust him the same as you, but there is nothing to be done about it. My hope is that his conduct is not a blatant disregard of our customs in etiquette, but rather a lack of understanding. He could be taught. We could make him a valuable asset.”

  “We do not have time to train a puppy, Neomi. Either he is useful or not and currently I view him as nothing more than a threat to you.”

  A threat? The man was an imbecile but he was in no way dangerous. “Do you mean to imply he is a liability? I may be convinced to believe that, but a threat is one thing he is not. He is harmless. Nothing more than a silly boy sent along to play soldier for the sake of honor. You know it is customary for members of the ruling family to accompany the military when sent to foreign soil.”

  “Customary for the Ovatai, perhaps,” Moinie shook her head vehemently. “We don’t know their views. Besides, the Captain is their Crown Prince. The presence of a second worthless child from the royal family seems an insult.”

  “That is enough, Moinie,” Neomi gritted her teeth to suppress her rising anger. She was not going to tolerate being told what to do. Too many people thought her incapable of making her own decisions. As a friend, she hoped Moinie would have more faith in her. “I appreciate your counsel but let me make one thing clear. You may be the wife of the future Chief but I am the one in charge of these men. Your opinion has been noted and I am making my decision. The Prince goes. If he screws up I will accept full responsibility.”

  “Then take the girl with us as well,” Moinie replied curtly. Her jaw was clenched, the narrow slits of her eyes burning brightly from the disapproval she struggled to hold inside.

  Lifting her chin Neomi stared down at her friend, curious by the sudden proposal. “The girl?” she questioned. “What use is she to this mission?”

  The hardened expression on Moinie’s face slowly began to soften, a devious twinkle sparkling in her eyes. “I inquired with her about the Prince. She seems to have taken a liking to him. My opinion is that it would be best to give their men one of their own women to look at. It lessens the chance of them taking an interest in you.”

  So that was what this was about. Moinie considered Edric a threat to the Ovatai women. Her passion for arguing against his company on this mission had nothing to do with being a physical danger to their people. It was purely fear of him getting too close to them. “Don’t be ridiculous,” she sneered. “I will request that woman to come along if you recommend her as a beneficial addition to the group, but I am not going to make the decision based on some ludicrous concern that their men are only here to seduce our women. Do you and Onuric think of nothing else? How dare you question my clarity of judgment when you are the one with your head in the dark.”

  “Very well,” Moinie huffed. There was nothing more to argue. Neomi’s word was final. “Consider it my recommendation,” she said tersely. “The Vor’shai woman is intelligent. If we are building a team capable of thinking resourcefully, it is my opinion that she would be a – beneficial addition – to the group.”

  They stood, locked in the fierce glare of one another, saying nothing. Moinie was out of line. She taunted Neomi with her words. If she was anyone else Neomi would have her punished for her impertinence. What was it about the Prince that made her so fervent in her hatred? The two barely spoke during their time in Tanispa. Onuric. He must have gotten to her. His dislike toward Edric had been made undeniable in the brief conversation Neomi held with him on the matter. Moinie was merely doing his dirty work in hopes that she would convince Neomi to feel the same.

  “You are quick to judge a man you do not even know based on the opinion of someone else,” Neomi stated calmly.

  “And you are quick to defend him.”

  “Am I?” she asked, amused by the notion. “I may not like the man but he does not deserve to be labeled a miscreant without having been given a chance. He came here at risk of his life to help us. That has to count for something until he proves himself deserving of the terrible things you believe of him.”

  She didn’t want to talk about it anymore. The Vor’shai would be arriving soon and the last thing they needed was for the Captain to walk in on their conversation. There were enough problems between them as it was. They didn’t need to add insult to injury. Right now all she wanted was to get moving. Isavo would take a few days to reach on foot. They would need to make use of every minute of daylight they had.

  Turning away from Moinie she stared into the distance toward the Vor’shai camp. Someone was coming. Through the shadows of the rising sun she could see the outline of a single figure moving down the pathway between the tents, the hood of his cloak pulled up over his head to conceal his face from view. His face wasn’t necessary for Neomi to recognize him. The way he moved was familiar, walking with a slight limp in favor of his right leg. Edric. Sleep had no doubt allowed the natural healing of Edric’s body to commence. He woul
d feel better as the day progressed. Her only concern was in the possibility of him inadvertently aggravating the injury.

  “Edric,” she stated, satisfied with the confident tone of her voice despite the hesitance she felt in seeing him. It was strange, the effect he had on her. Just having him in her line of sight made her stomach flutter nervously. She didn’t like the sensation. She preferred to be in control of things. When he was around she felt somehow exposed. Vulnerable. Like an amateur warrior on her first mission. “Where is Callum? Your Captain is late.”

  “He was not in his tent. I assumed he was here.” The tone of his voice revealed a mild discomfort at the discovery of Callum’s absence. “You mean to tell me you have not seen him this morning?”

  “I have not seen any of your men,” Neomi replied. She struggled to maintain the harshness in her tone though she found herself feeling sympathy for this man. There was something about him that was different from before. He was uneasy about something. It didn’t feel right to belittle him while he was in such a state. “Should we be concerned about him, Edric? Do you think he would leave the camp without giving word?”

  Shaking his head Edric glanced over his shoulder toward the camp. No one could be seen in the maze of pathways, the sounds of movement no longer audible, leaving the area in complete silence. “He wouldn’t leave, but I have my reasons to be concerned about his well-being. I should go look for him again. Please accept my apologies for his tardiness. It’s unlike him.”

  “I may have been a bit premature in announcing his lack of punctuality. There is time left before our departure,” Neomi let her eyes drift to Moinie, taking note of the contemptuous look on her face. It rekindled Neomi’s anger from their earlier argument. What would it take for her friend to realize this man wasn’t depraved? “I will accompany you, if you like,” she said suddenly. It was a terrible idea. One that she knew would only heighten Moinie’s discontent. In a way it was what she wanted. To show her friend that she was capable of making her own decisions. She just had to hope Edric would accept her offer.