Mike Shevdon: Sixty-One Nails

"Stand, Warder Alshirian, called Dogstar, also called Niall Petersen, and bow to the council."

I got unsteadily to my feet. Garvin watching me, then turned to the council and bowed slowly.

"Garvin will take you to Blackbird. I imagine you will want to tell her your news."

Garvin wiped down the blade with a plain white cloth. Then he nodded to Kimlesh.

"Go then. We will see you again, Warder Alshirian."

I turned, but Garvin caught my eye. He turned and whirled the blade around in his hand, sheathing the blade with a soft hiss in one smooth movement, then he placed his right hand over his heart and bowed slowly to the council. I mimicked his bow.

He turned and escorted me to the door.

"Send in Fionh, please, Garvin."

He held the door while I stepped through and he stepped through after me. Tate and Fionh were waiting outside. Fionh's eyebrow went up when she saw me.

"You're to go in directly, Fee. Tate, you're with me."

"What happened in there?" asked Fionh.

"I'll tell you later." He looked me over. "We're going to have our work cut out. See if you can find out how long they're going to be. Mullbrook will want to know if they are dining."

Fionh slipped back into the room, pulling the door quietly closed behind her.

Garvin walked away down the corridor with Tate stepping in behind. I stood there for a moment, bemused, unsure of what I should do.

Garvin paused and slowly turned back to me. "First lesson," he said. "I can lead, but you have to follow."

They strode away. I gathered my wits together and trotted after them.

"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" asked Tate as we neared the room where we had originally been taken.

"You and the rest of the team," said Garvin. "But first we need to return Warder Dogstar here to his love."

We entered the room. Blackbird was standing by the fireplace. She took one look at me, then ran and threw herself into my arms, wrapping her arms around my neck and pressing her warm lips to mine.

"Warder Dogstar?" said Tate from behind us.

"Come on. We need to get the others together." He waited until Blackbird released me and then pointed at me and then at the floor. "Stay here. Do not leave this room until I come and get you. Consider it an order."

"Yes, sir," I said, grinning at him.

"Learn to follow them. It'll keep you alive."

"Yes, sir."

"Tate. Get the others. Team briefing in five."

"Yes, sir," he rumbled.

Garvin looked steadily at him. "Don't you start," he said.

Tate grinned at me, then left to gather the others together. Garvin nodded to Blackbird and pulled the door closed behind him, giving us our privacy.

"Warder Dogstar?" she said.

"It was the price of freedom, though I'm not exactly free. They swore me into service." I showed her the cut across my wrist where the blood had smeared and was already clotting.

"She knew, Niall. All that time, she knew. When Kareesh offered you the sight of something she said 'courts', plural."

"I thought they would let us go, that they would have to. They nearly didn't."

"It's enough, Niall. What will you do now?"

"Garvin said he'd train me. He sounded like he wasn't going to enjoy it."

"Will you stay here?"

"I don't know. I think they were as surprised as I was. Mellion suggested it and I don't think Garvin could find a way to turn him down."

"You don't mess with Mellion," agreed Blackbird.

"And what about you?" I asked her.

"I had to swear to keep the secret," she said. "If I tell another soul it will kill me and the baby."

"Our son."

"I know, they told me too. They have offered me a bursary, an income to help me through the months ahead in return for my silence."

"You accepted?"

"There wasn't really much of a choice."

"They offered me a boon. I asked for somewhere for you to live that's secure while you're pregnant and for them to accept Alex into the courts, when and if she comes into her gifts. That was before they swore me in as a warder, though."

"Did they agree?"

"They did, yes."

"Then it is done. They will not go back on their word."

"So you have somewhere to live."

"We have somewhere," she said, pressing her hand to my cheek. "I don't want you too far away."

That possessive glint had appeared in her eye.

"Don't say it."

"Why not?" she said, turning her face up to be kissed. "It's true."

I kissed her, and she laughed, throwing her hands around my neck. I pressed my lips to hers and whirled her around. It didn't stop her though. I had to release her eventually.

She stood before me, breathless but determined, eyes full of green fire.

"Mine," she said.