Raven's Shadow (Raven #1)(69)

One sleeve was burned away and blisters started at her fingertips and trailed up fire-blackened flesh to her shoulder. She slowed to a walk, staggering slightly as she came in sight of the cabin.

"Seraph," she said. "Jes, are you here?"

The Guardian shook with the implied violence of her condition, even though Jes tried to soothe him with the observation that she might have done the damage to herself because the hurt was concentrated on the wrist the geas band had been on. Hennea smelled of anger, fear, and pain, and Jes was tired. The beast snarled silently.

Hennea gasped slightly, and the Guardian knew that she felt the dread of his anger.

"Jes," she said, closing in on the cabin. "Jes, I need to talk to you. There's none here to harm anyone. Please. I need to talk to you."

A tear slid down her face, and she wiped it away impatiently. "Please. I need your help."

If the forest king hadn't given her to him, the Guardian could have ignored her; but she was one of his now. So he slunk away from the porch and let her see him clearly, though Jes would rather have resumed his usual form because he didn't want to frighten her anymore than she already was. Jes liked Hennea.

"Jes," she said, unfazed by the monstrous wolf that stalked toward her. "Guardian. I'm so sorry. I've betrayed you all. I don't know what he's planned, but it's my fault."

It was difficult to get human speech out of his wolf throat, but the Guardian managed. "Who?"

"He planned it," she said, holding her burnt arm awkwardly away from her body. "I thought I was so clever, figuring out that he was playing a game with your family - but his game was more subtle than I expected. He set me up, all but sent me out to find Seraph and tell her that I thought your father hadn't been killed. He knew that she'd go and take Lehr. He knew Rinnie would be left here unprotected. He didn't care about you, he doesn't know what you are. But he wants Rinnie."

Jes helped the Guardian cool his rage, and the beast welcomed the calm that would allow him to accomplish what was necessary.

"He has her?" he asked.

"Not when I left - I thought I might beat him here - but she's gone, isn't she? That's why you're here and not Jes."

"My uncle was here," the Guardian said. "Bandor, the village baker."

"Lark take them all," she whispered. "Bandor is one of Volis's favorites. Would he turn your sister over to Volis?"

"He wouldn't hurt her knowingly," said the Guardian after a moment. "But his intentions are not important." Since Jes controlled his savagery, the Guardian was able to think clearly again and focus his purpose. "We need to find them. Can you run?"

Lehr was right, it was late when they reached Redern, and Seraph was exhausted, both emotionally and physically. Only her obsessive need to force answers out of the solsenti priest gave her the fortitude to start up the steep street of Redern.

She almost walked right past the bakery. If there hadn't been a light in Alinath's room, she might have been able to do it. Alinath loved Tier, too. Seraph hesitated outside the door.

"She won't believe you, Mother," offered Lehr.

"Yes," said Seraph, "she will - because she needs to believe it as much as I did." She gave Lehr a tired smile. "She'll still think it is my fault - but at least she won't think he's dead. She has the right to know."

Seraph knocked briskly at the door. "Alinath, it's Seraph, open up." She waited, and then knocked again. "Alinath? Bandor?"

Lehr tested the air, "I smell blood. Is the door locked?"

Seraph tried the latch and the door swung open easily. There was no light in the front room, nor the bakery, but Lehr didn't need light and she followed him to Alinath's room. The door was ajar and Lehr opened it cautiously.

"Aunt Alinath?" he said, and the concern in his voice sent Seraph ducking under the arm he held the door open with.

Alinath was gagged and bound hand and foot on her bed. Her face was bruised; someone had hit her cheek and split the skin, which had bled copiously all over the bedding. When she saw them she began struggling furiously.

"Shh," said Seraph, sitting beside Alinath. She took out her knife and carefully slid it around swollen flesh to cut the ropes. "I'll have you free in a moment."

"Rinnie," said Alinath as soon as the gag dropped from her mouth.

"What?" asked Seraph.

But Alinath had begun to shake and Seraph couldn't understand what she was saying.

"Slow down," she said, keeping her voice calm so she didn't upset Alinath further. "What about Bandor and Rinnie? Did Bandor do this to you?"

Alinath tried to sit up, but it was obviously painful and Seraph hurried to help support her.

"It was Bandor," Alinath said, breathing shallowly around sore ribs. "He's gotten so strange lately - I don't know what's wrong with him. This afternoon, after the priest came, he started muttering about Rinnie and you."

She stopped and swallowed. "You and I have never seen eye to eye, Seraph - but you'd die to protect your children. I know that. So when he started saying dangerous things... things that would get the whole village riled up if they heard... Well, I told him he was a fool. That there was nothing evil about you, and he had no call to accuse you of being shadowed."