Raven's Strike (Raven #2)(73)

Phoran hadn't drawn his sword. He'd prefer to keep swords out of it if he could. It was better for his cause if Tier's noble guests remained a curiosity rather than a news item. Killing this scum might just send news of Tier's unexpected guests all the way to Taela. If Phoran ever managed to rid himself of the Memory, he didn't want the whole of the Empire knowing where he'd been, not if he could help it.

"Rinnie's right; you are stupid aren't you?" he marveled out loud. "You do realize that if you were correct in what we're up to here, you've just given me the ultimate provocation to kill you? That's obviously the only thing that would keep your mouth shut."

"He doesn't think you can kill him," Rinnie said in a small voice. "He's had some training in sword work, and it impresses the other boys."

"Since he's outnumbered now," said Lehr, coming around the same boulders that Phoran had crouched behind, "he'll likely run."

Lehr had Tier's sword in one hand and was breathing hard. "Go back to Leheigh, Olbeck. You aren't welcome in Redern anymore, I hear. No more are you welcome here. If your father has problems with us, I expect that he will come himself. Run back to your father, coward."

Olbeck snarled wordlessly at Lehr, and Phoran saw the intent in his body before he charged - not at Lehr, but straight at Phoran. He probably thought that he could bull through Phoran to get at Rinnie.

Phoran dropped him cold with a fist to the chin.

"Stupid sot ran right into it," he said, rubbing his knuckles to dull the sting. "Are you all right, Rinnie?"

The memory of the sound of ripping cloth kept him facing away from her.

"Yes," she said. "I wish I were a Guardian like Jes. Lightning only works if I have hours."

"Too bad," agreed Phoran. "If someone deserved a bit of lightning to strike him down, it was that man."

"Here, Rinnie, take my tunic." Lehr pulled the article in question over his head and tossed it to her. "Nice right cross, Phoran. Did you kill him?"

There had been enough force to have broken his neck. Phoran bent down and rolled the big man over with a grunt of effort.

"Not so lucky," he said. "Likely he'll be awake in a minute or two. I could kill him for you - we could hide the body."

"Much as I hate to admit it, Rinnie was right. Olbeck dead by human hands or missing around here is even more of a problem than Olbeck alive. Too bad about the lightning, Rinnie. That would have been an answer. I suppose we'll just leave him."

"Why isn't he welcome in Redern anymore?" Rinnie, safely covered by Lehr's tunic leaned lightly against Phoran's arm and stared down at her attacker. She sounded collected, but she was trembling like a bird. Phoran thought again about killing Olbeck.

"Remember Lukeeth, the mercer's son?"

"He's one of the boys who follows Olbeck."

"Not anymore. Olbeck killed him. Storne says it was murder, but Olbeck claimed it was self-defense. He got away with it, but his father agreed to keep him out of Redern. Get your herbs - I assume that's what sent you hurrying out of the house this morning. We'll leave him here."

Rinnie nodded and turned and began picking up the scattered bits of plants. Phoran saw her wipe her cheeks when she thought no one was watching. He saw that Lehr had noticed, too.

"Likely, I broke his jaw," he told him as consolation. "He'll remember this every time he tries to eat for a long time."

Lehr sucked in his breath, two red lines forming on his cheeks from gritting his teeth. "You should have pulled your punch so we could have broken a few more bones for him."

Phoran went back behind the boulders and gathered the three plants he'd unearthed and presented them to Rinnie on one knee, holding the limp greenery stretched across both hands.

She laughed as he'd intended. "This one isn't tingleroot." She sorted through what he had and broke off a very few small bits. "You can leave the rest."

She put the bits in her pouch and started back down the hill. Phoran and Lehr followed her.

"I tracked you until I figured out where Rinnie was heading," Lehr said. "Mother left her to sort out our herbs, and I knew we were out of tingleroot. This is the best place to look for it. I'd just decided to head home when I ran across Olbeck's trace. Thanks for escorting her."

Phoran gave him a mock-surprised glance. "I wasn't escorting her, she was educating me. I can harvest tingleroot now - and dill."

"Only if there's no reaverslace nearby," Rinnie said repressively. "Thank you, Phoran. Someday, I'm going to tell Olbeck that it was the Emperor who broke his jaw."

"He'll never believe the Emperor went out herb gathering with you," said Lehr.

A creak of a branch overhead had Lehr spinning around to get a good look. Then, with a procession of quiet thumps, Jes dropped down in their midst, hitting the ground in a roll that ended with him on his feet.

"Olbeck found his horse. I think he's going home. He won't get past the wards anyway." Tier's eldest son looked better than he had the last time Phoran had seen him. His dark skin wasn't so grey, and he moved well as he strode beside his brother.

Phoran sighed. They were both going to have to slacken the pace for him, but he'd wait to ask in case they'd notice and slow down on their own.