Mickey Reichert - The legend of Nightfall

“Die in tourney. That’s what he said." Her gaze followed a spectator hurrying toward a private corner near the gates. A roar from the crowd indicated the end of the current match. "You should also know I’m bound to say nothing negative about Gilleran that Ned or his relatives might overhear, and I have to tell him he’s safe from sorcerers now. Ritworth is dead."

"Bound?"

"Magically bound."

"Aah.” Nightfall knew that spell too well.

"So you’ll have to warn Ned.”

Nightfall saw the difficulty Kelryn missed. "I tell Prince Edward what you saw and heard, then he asks you about it and you have to deny the danger." He shook his head. "He’ll think I made the whole thing up."

"I’ll tell him about the magical binding." Kelryn cringed, apparently in response to some prodding from her own oath-bond. "Or you could tell him about it."

Needing to protect his own apparent loyalty, Nightfall thought it better that Prince Edward know nothing of oath-bonding. "Bad idea."

Kelryn sighed in obvious frustration. "What do you suggest?"

"We don’t put the prince in the position of choosing between our allegiance and that of a chancellor he’s probably known and trusted since birth. We handle Gilleran on our own."

Kelryn looked stricken.

Nightfall amended. "Or I handle him. It’s just as well that you don’t get involved any more than you already have." The oath-bond intensified, rising and falling in sickening waves of warning.

Kelryn bit her lower lip, obviously struggling with words. "Marak, I know you’ve done many things no one else would dare. But it’ll take more than one man, even one with your reputation, to handle a threat like Gilleran."

Nightfall shrugged, trying to look unaffected though he felt like a landlubber riding the deck in a sea gale. The oath-bond would keep him from harming any official of Alyndar, including the sorcerer. That complicated the matter to the boundary of impossibility. "I think you should leave while you still can."

"No." Kelryn seized Nightfall’s hand. “I won’t lose you a second time. Not without a fight. I’ve frozen twice when it came to helping others stand against Gilleran. Not again. He’s an evil that needs destroying.”

Nightfall considered. He would prefer that Kelryn fled to safety. Barring that, however, he might need her to battle a sorcerer he could not harm by his own vow. "Very well, then. Let the hunt begin."

Kelryn and Nightfall had not located Chancellor Gilleran by the time the last match before the finals ended and Edward headed back toward camp. As the cheers and applause thundered across the pasture, they rushed back to camp to meet Edward, trying to look casual.

Many neighbors returned first, discussing winning maneuvers with a detail that told Nightfall more than he ever needed to know. Leyne had bested Hartrin’s Prince Irbo after a lengthy bout with maces and shields. An overlord’s son from Grifnal, named Sander, would face each Nargol in the upcoming finals. No matter the end results, three matches would be fought, with sword and shield. Each contestant would engage in single combat with the other two, no matter the outcome of the first match. Therefore, even should Sander best one of the princes, Leyne and Edward would fight. The victor of the duchy would have to win both of his matches. Nightfall considered the logistics. Obviously, only one contestant could possibly win two battles. The difficulty would come if each won one and lost the other. Yet, Nightfall suspected, such a circumstance would not upset any official or spectator, only prolong the excitement to the following day.

Shortly, Edward returned, expression somber as he considered the upcoming competition and, Nightfall guessed, the need to stand against his brother. As he drew closer, his gaze fell on Kelryn and a light sparked through his blue eyes. His stern look brightened into a delighted smile. "Kelryn!" He swept her into a joyful embrace.

Nightfall watched placidly, wishing the happy reunion looked a bit more friendly and less sensual. Now that he and Kelryn had renewed their relationship, the concern he held for her closeness with Edward withered to simple jealousy. The two made a spectacularly good-looking couple, and the affection they held for one another seemed obvious, at least to him.

"Kelryn, I’m so glad you found us. I’ve been worried about you.” Edward’s expression changed to one of regret. "We had to leave quickly, a misunderstanding with the duke."

Peering around Edward, Kelryn flashed Nightfall an interested look that suggested she would expect a full explanation later.

Edward continued, oblivious to the exchange. "You got Sudian’s note, I presume."

Kelryn rescued Nightfall from his alibi. "I got it. I came straight here. It took me longer on foot, and I ran into some trouble.”

Prince Edward disengaged to study Kelryn’s features. "Bandits?" Nightfall could not see his face, but his voice indicated horror at the possibility that highwaymen had ambushed Kelryn while alone.

"No." Kelryn gave Nightfall an uncomfortable glance. "The Iceman. Your chancellor arrived just in time, though, and dispatched him. He told me to tell you you had nothing more to fear from sorcerers."

"Good old Gilleran." Edward brushed hair from Kelryn’s cheek. "Always there to remind me there’re kindly sorcerers as well as the bad ones."

Kelryn said nothing.

Nightfall rolled his eyes at the naive innocence to which he had grown accustomed. Kelryn had spoken her piece. Now, he hoped, her oath-bond would cease to control her.

Edward took Kelryn’s hand and steered her to his blanket. He gestured her to sit.

Kelryn obeyed.

Nightfall aided Edward, who would not brag. "You came just in time. My master made the finals. If he bests two more opponents, he becomes the duke."

"Really? Congratulations.” Kelryn smiled so prettily that Edward blushed.

"Now, Sudian. I’m just glad to make it this far." Edward glanced at Kelryn apologetically. "It’s not likely I’ll get any further, but you still might want to watch. My opponents are worthy."

“He’ll do tine." Nightfall politely contradicted. “He’s just a bit anxious because he has to fight his older brother.”

Edward turned his squire a pointed glare, clearly prepared to lecture about the rudeness of emphasizing a master’s weakness.

"Oh, dear." Kelryn sounded appropriately sympathetic. “That would be difficult.”

Basking in Kelryn’s attentive compassion, Edward forgave his squire and ran with the situation. “Leyne’s a tremendous jouster with any weapon."

Kelryn smiled again. “Leyne didn’t save my life with a chair."

Prince Edward returned the grin.

Nightfall had stomached enough of their exchange, so full of insidious romance and compliments. "I’ll get your armor and weapon ready for this afternoon."

"No hurry." Edward did not take his eyes from Kelryn. “I drew out of the first match. It’s Leyne and Sander. For now, we’re probably all hungry. Why don’t you see what you can scrounge in the way of food?"

"Yes, Master." Nightfall trotted off to make purchases from vendors he trusted, taking a long route in the hope of locating Chancellor Gilleran amid the crowd. But the intermission left spectators and competitors milling in random patterns that made a coherent search impossible. He returned to Prince Edward and Kelryn with a reasonable dinner, not having caught so much as a glimpse of the sorcerer and with little idea of how to finish rigging the contests. Anything he did now would require a finesse he was not in the mental state to concoct and which could have serious repercussions for Edward. At least, the duke of Schiz seemed to have made the right decision in regard to pursuit, and Nightfall drew scant comfort from it. If Edward won, Nightfall guessed, the problem would rematerialize. Only this time, he would face it as a free man. The thought barely brought a tinge of joy. First, Edward would have to best Crown-prince Leyne Nargol of Alyndar. And that seemed impossible.