Gail Martin - The Sworn

The anger was gone from Jolie’s face. Aidane was surprised to see genuine caring, something she hadn’t expected. “You were free to go any time you wished,” Jolie said quietly. “No one is ever forced to stay with me against their will.”

“I know. You took good care of me. Of all of us.” Thaine swept her arm to indicate the other whores who rode behind them just far enough to be out of earshot. “I’ve seen enough other houses in the business and enough other managers to know that you’re one of a kind, Jolie.”

“Damn right about that.”

“Do you think Jonmarc will believe me?”

Jolie shrugged. “It’s not him believing you that worries me. I’m fond of Carina, his wife. She’s been good for him. Carina’s a healer, Thaine. Not just the best damn healer in the Winter Kingdoms, but a mind healer, too. For the first time since I’ve known him, Jonmarc’s actually happy. I don’t want anything to go wrong with that.”

Thaine looked away. “I understand. I’m dead, remember? Dead and without a body of my own. Let Aidane carry my warning. When I’ve done all I can, I’ll leave and go to my rest.”

Jolie’s eyes held a sadness Aidane hadn’t seen there before. “Principality’s not a bad place for our kind to die. After all, they worship the Lover and the Whore. Perhaps the Lady will grant you favor.”

“We’re here.” Kolin’s voice interrupted whatever reply Thaine might have made. Thaine’s spirit drew back into the recesses of Aidane’s mind, leaving Aidane master of both her mind and her body. Jolie fell back, taking a position with her girls. Kolin looked at Aidane and shook his head. “I can’t wait to see what Jonmarc makes of you.”

Aidane watched nervously as guards opened the huge manor house gates. The guards outside the gate were dressed in the livery of King Staden’s soldiers, making it obvious that the king had a stake in protecting Dark Haven and its inhabitants. Aidane wondered if the guards inside the gates were vayash moru. They hailed Kolin and waved the group inside. A tall, flaxen-haired man was waiting for them in the courtyard. He was clearly of noble birth, Aidane thought.

“You’re late,” he said to Kolin, but Aidane heard worry more than censure in his tone.

“Had some unexpected complications,” Kolin replied, handing off the reins to his horse.

The blond man looked at the newcomers, and his eyes widened in recognition. He went to where Jolie stood with her girls and gave a bow in greeting, kissing the back of Jolie’s hand.

“Jolie? What an unexpected surprise.”

Jolie grinned and held her head up as if she wore her usual finery instead of the plain traveling dress. “Good to see you, Gabriel. Even with the king’s blessing, Margolan got a little too dangerous for my taste. Thought we’d throw ourselves on Jonmarc’s mercy and sit this out somewhere safe.”

Kolin had already begun to hand off his newest charges to Zhan, who took the rescued vayash moru and vyrkin toward one of the other buildings that ringed the courtyard. Kolin spoke in low tones to other servants, who motioned for Ed and the musicians to go with them. Soon, only Jolie’s party and Aidane remained in the courtyard with Kolin and Gabriel.

“Where’s Jonmarc?” Kolin had moved so quickly that Aidane hadn’t seen him until he spoke from beside her.

“Inside. He’ll be anxious to see you, and happy to see Jolie. I’ll have the servants find a place for you and your girls.”

“Anyplace that’s dry and warm is fine with me. I thought perhaps we might set up shop in the village. We can earn our keep.”

Gabriel frowned. “You might want to rethink that, at least for a while, Jolie. I know you’ve come for sanctuary, but Dark Haven’s not as safe as it used to be.”

“Jolie! What brings you here?”

Aidane looked up to see a man standing on the landing of the entranceway. His dark hair was loose around his shoulders, and he moved with the muscular grace of a swordsman. As he drew closer, Aidane could see intelligence and surprising humor in his dark eyes, and she glimpsed a nasty scar that ran from his left ear down into his collar. That’s him, Thaine whispered in her mind.

Jonmarc embraced Jolie, and the two began to talk rapidly in the thick river patois that was a favorite of smugglers and thieves. Jonmarc’s affection for Jolie was clear, and Jolie fussed over Jonmarc like a son she hadn’t seen in years. As if he suddenly became aware of the others around them, Jonmarc switched back to Common.

“Of course you’re welcome, all of you. Gabriel’s probably told you that it’s not the best time to try to relocate your house, but until things settle down, you’re welcome here. I’ll warn you; it’s tight. We’ve been overrun with refugees, and it’s kept Carina busier than she should be.”

Something made Jonmarc turn and he looked Aidane up and down. “What do we have here?” To Aidane’s surprise, he addressed her in fluent Nargi.

“That’s one of our ‘complications,’ ” Kolin said.

“Hello, Jonmarc. Been a long time.” It was Thaine’s voice that spoke, and her spirit surged forward, filling Aidane so that Aidane took on her stance, her mannerisms, all in the span of a single breath. And while Aidane knew that Thaine had told the truth about her intentions, Aidane could also feel Thaine’s perverse pleasure in the stunned look on Jonmarc’s face.

“That’s not possible,” Jonmarc whispered, his eyes widening.

“Aidane is a serroquette,” Jolie said quietly. “We met up with Thaine’s ghost by accident. Thaine says she has a warning for you.”

“Perhaps we should have this conversation inside,” Gabriel said, with an unhappy glance at Kolin. Gabriel gestured, and two servants came running to see to Jolie’s contingent and their sparse luggage, although Jolie did not follow them.

Gabriel led them inside, and although Thaine was at the forefront of her consciousness, Aidane looked around as they entered the manor house. She had called on many highborn clients and was accustomed to the great homes of Nargi. While Dark Haven was easily their equal in size and construction, it was austere by comparison. There were no paintings of esteemed ancestors, real or purchased, no grand tapestries regaling tales of family history. What Aidane could see of Dark Haven and its rooms showed its furniture to be practical but not opulent, and its decoration to be minimal. The manor seemed as unpretentious as its lord, and Aidane was even more curious to learn more about Jonmarc Vahanian.

Kolin, Gabriel, Jolie, and Aidane followed Jonmarc to a small parlor. He closed the door behind them and lit the lanterns. Then he turned to face Aidane, hands on hips.

“What the hell is going on?”

Under Thaine’s control, Aidane squared her shoulders, taking a defiant stance. “I thought you might be happy to know that I’m dead.”

Something flickered in Jonmarc’s dark eyes. “I’m sorry. How long?”

Thaine shrugged. “My patron brought me across as a vayash moru a few weeks after I left Jolie’s Place. I guess it’s been about five years now. It went badly after that.” Thaine tried to sound nonchalant, but Aidane felt the pain behind the words. It was true what Thaine had told Jolie, that she had no designs on Jonmarc. But at the same time, Thaine felt keenly humiliated at having to admit just how badly her choices had turned out. “My last ‘patron’ tired of me and sold me for my blood to the Black Robes. They murdered me as an offering to Shanthadura.”

Jonmarc paled at that, and Aidane saw pain in his expression. “Thaine, I-”

“I didn’t come here for pity.” Thaine’s voice was sharp, and Aidane could feel embarrassment turning into anger. “I’d heard about the new Lord of Dark Haven. My patrons debated the uprising last year, and I heard all about how you put down the vayash moru who broke the Truce.” She glanced at Kolin and Gabriel, and her smile was more of a smirk. “My patrons feared you, and they hated fearing a mortal. Congratulations, you have the same reputation as a fighter among the undead as you had among the Nargi.”