Alex Bledsoe - Dark Jenny

“How did he convince you? Appeal to your patriotism?”

For the first time, Gillian presented a genuine, full-face smile. “Remember, he wasn’t much older than me. He convinced me that girls would like my scars.”

I laughed and gestured at the tapestries decorating the room. “You seem to have risen to the challenge. Was he right about the girls?”

Gillian’s smile turned wistful. “Let’s just say he was, and leave it at that.”

Since he was being so open all of a sudden, I pressed forward. “So tell me, straight up: Do you think the queen tried to kill you? Or have you killed?”

“I don’t know.” He pondered for a long moment. “Do you know why we’re called the Knights of the Double Tarn?”

I shook my head.

“The next-to-last battle of the wars of unification took place on a narrow isthmus between two tarns. Do you know what a tarn is?”

Again I shook my head.

“It’s a lake that’s deceptively deeper than it should be. Some are claimed to be bottomless. And they have currents at different depths that often go in opposite directions. At any rate, when we’d won, Cameron Kern declared that our brotherhood of arms needed a name and chose that.”

I waited. Gillian wasn’t a man to be rushed, and if I prodded him, he might drop the whole thing.

“The tarn is a good representation of Grand Bruan society as well. It looks placid from the outside, but it’s made up of levels and currents that often run in opposing directions and at cross-purposes. I have tried to stay above these considerations and simply do my duty, but even that can generate unseen conflicts.”

I risked a comment. “It’s hard to imagine you and Dave Agravaine in the same organization.”

“I agree with you,” he said with another little smile.

“So you believe you might’ve inadvertently antagonized the queen?”

“That’s what I’m trying to decide. She and I have never been close, but since her marriage we are family, and I’ve respected that.”

He looked off into one of the tapestries, and I chanced another question. “Are the rumors about the queen and Elliot Spears true?”

He did not look at me. “Only the two of them know the answer to that.”

“What do you think?”

His gaze returned to me, and the little glimmer of candor vanished. “I think it’s time for you to be sequestered somewhere else.”

Visions of dungeons and torture implements filled my head. “I can sit quietly in the corner, if you’re tired of talking to me.”

“I don’t mean a cell. This castle has plenty of secure rooms that are quite comfortable, and Sir Robert ordered one readied for you. I’ll go see if it’s done.” He went to the door and paused before opening it. “If I reach any conclusions about today’s events, or if any useful information comes my way, I’ll pass it along.”

“Thanks.”

“In return, I’d like your word that you won’t try to escape.”

“Sure,” I said.

“That was fast. Do you always give your word so casually?”

“Nothing casual about it. Even if I got out of the castle, I’d still have to get off the island. I believe in luck, but not in miracles.”

“I see. Well… enjoy your drinks, and I’ll return shortly.”

He closed the door, and the bolt slid into place. I took another sip of my drink and shook my head. The man had to be the straightest arrow in the quiver, all right.

I paced around the room some more, pondering what Gillian had told me. Well, trying to ponder it. The promise in Iris Gladstone’s kiss kept intruding, so I finally gave up. I leaned back against the one tapestry-covered wall and let myself fantasize.

And promptly fell into the open doorway hidden behind it.

When I got free of the heavy cloth, I saw that the short passage ended at a stairwell that led both up and down, and women’s voices came from beneath me. They spoke in whispers, but the tone was unmistakably urgent. I gathered the manacle chains in my hands to silence them, tiptoed down the dark stone stairs, and stopped when the words became clear.

“I cannot allow this, Your Majesty!” one woman hissed.

The answering voice was unmistakably Queen Jennifer Drake’s. “Are you pulling rank on me, Rebecca?”

The girl Rebecca, the same one who’d been so snotty to Kay and me earlier, snapped, “Rank isn’t important. What if someone sees you? How will you explain it?”

“The queen’s spending some time alone in the moonlight after a particularly trying day. Who would care?”

“The queen of Grand Bruan does not worship the moon goddess.”

“No, but apparently I wear jewelry in my most intimate feminine parts,” she said bitterly. “Who would start a rumor like that? Who would believe it?”

“I’d rather them believe that,” Rebecca said, “than know you’re a moon priestess.”

My eyes had adjusted enough that I saw moonlight streaming in from an open door at the bottom of the stairs. Two figures cast long shadows onto the landing.

“I know you’re scared,” Rebecca continued firmly. “So am I. But I forbid this.”

“Then you are pulling rank.”

“Marc will be here tomorrow. He’ll take care of everything. Like he always does.”

Jennifer said something so softly I couldn’t catch it, but the defeated tone conveyed its gist.

Rebecca was having none of it. “Then let them pin it on that man with Kay, LaCrosse or whatever his name was. Let them convict some stableboy, or some old enemy of Gillian’s from the wars. It doesn’t matter who takes the blame, as long as it’s not you. Marc needs you, Jennifer. Grand Bruan needs you. And so do we. You’re so close.”

Jennifer said nothing. I saw her move into the light and head up the stairs toward me. As fast as I dared, I rushed up and closed the door to the lounge. She passed me on the stairs without seeing me in the darkness.

But I saw her. Beneath the cloak that billowed behind her in her haste, she was totally naked.

Rebecca followed. A few moments later a door opened and closed above me, and I heard the unmistakable noise of a big dead bolt slamming home.

I stood in the dark going over what I’d heard. I’d rather them believe that than know you’re a moon priestess, Rebecca had said. Which meant the queen was breaking her own laws. But why was that against the law in the first place?

And what exactly was she “so close” to?

I pulled the handle on the door behind me. It did not budge. I felt for a latch, but found none. I pulled as hard as I could with my good hand and leaned my weight into it. Nothing. I didn’t know if I’d accidentally locked it or it was just stuck, but either way it wasn’t going to open from my side. The only way out was the staircase.

If I went up, I’d find the equally locked door of the queen’s private chambers. So I went down and emerged into a small courtyard, with tasteful shrubbery and a lone tree providing shade during the day. Faceless stone walls fifteen fight high surrounded it. I saw no other exit, which made sense if this place was intended for royal recreation. Or surreptitious moon worshipping.

For a moment the night sky mesmerized me. I’d been inside, under ceilings, since I got to Nodlon Castle. This sudden reminder that there was, in fact, a world beyond these walls made me smile.

Then, from out of the tree’s shadow, emerged Cador, Hoel, and Agravaine.

They fell into formation, Agravaine in front, the other two behind and to either side. They had shed their armor and wore loose civilian clothes. They weren’t visibly armed, but they were professional soldiers, so against what they saw as an over-the-hill amateur, they didn’t need to be.

Running wasn’t an option. Neither was calling for help. I couldn’t believe I’d walked into such a blatant trap.