Someone came in, a woman, carrying a platter full of food – bread, fruits, cheese, cold meats. Corban heard his stomach growl as he watched Braith tear into it.
‘Here,’ Braith said, walking over and holding out a chunk of bread. ‘I should let you starve, after what your wolven and friends did to my men back there, but I think Rhin’s going to want to talk with you; so passing out is to be avoided.’
Corban chewed a mouthful. The bread was still warm. It tasted delicious. Braith gave him a sip of his drink – watered ale.
‘My thanks,’ Corban said when he had swallowed and was sure that the food and drink was not going to come straight back up.
Braith sat down and finished his food.
‘Did they get away?’ Corban asked, his voice a croak.
‘I don’t know,’ Braith said. ‘Only two of my men still live, and one of those was the man I sent ahead to tell Rhin we were close. The riders wouldn’t have followed your friends if they ran, not into those trees and possible ambush.’ He rubbed his eyes.
A silence fell on the room.
A muffled sound came from the far wall. Corban saw the outline of a door appear, and what he thought was undressed stone swung open. Two figures emerged from the darkness. Corban recognized both of them.
Rhin, Queen of Cambren. Of Narvon and Ardan, too, now. She was old, appeared much older than the last time he had seen her, in Badun at the Midwinter gathering, when Tull had fought her champion, Morcant.
Morcant was no longer her champion, though; he knew that and he saw Conall walk into the room behind her.
The warrior didn’t say anything, but their eyes locked for a long moment. Conall was the first to look away. Corban wasn’t sure what he saw there: pride, definitely, but there was more, a flicker in his glance, an unwillingness to hold Corban’s gaze. Was that shame? Corban remembered when Conall had first come to Dun Carreg, riding up the giantsway with Halion. He had seemed happy then by comparison, carefree.
‘Well done, Braith,’ Rhin said. The woodsman dropped to one knee before her and kissed her hand.
‘You’ve done well,’ she said, motioning for him to stand. ‘Even if half my riders are now lying dead on the slopes of Vaner.’
‘Are they caught?’ Braith asked. ‘His companions?’
‘No. I have riders out searching, but I don’t have enough men here to do the job properly. Most of them are busy conquering Domhain.’
‘I can take a party out. I know the land well hereabouts.’
‘Perhaps.’ Rhin nodded. ‘If Edana is out there it would be a shame to let her get away.’
She thinks I travelled with Edana.
‘So, you are Corban,’ Rhin said, turning to him. It was not a question. ‘I do remember you from Badun. At least, I remember seeing the boy who had tamed a wolven.’
She’s not tame, Corban thought.
‘I should have given you more attention then but I was preoccupied. I hear she’s grown, your wolven, and is happily tearing people apart in my woodlands.’
She’s not dead, then. Corban felt a flutter of relief in his belly. He opened his mouth and asked the question that had been hovering there.
‘Where’s Cywen?’
‘Cywen?’ Rhin said.
Corban felt his spirits sink. Rhin didn’t know who he meant.
Conall whispered something in her ear.
‘Oh, your sister. She’s well on her way to Murias. You’ll not find her here,’ Rhin said. ‘Is that what you thought? Were you coming here to get her, when Braith found you wandering around my mountains? How terribly noble of you.’ She stepped closer to him, ran a pointed fingernail along his jaw line, down his neck, across his chest. He pulled away, tried to kick out but the iron collars about his ankles held him.
Murias.
‘Admirable qualities,’ she murmured, close enough that he could smell her breath, a hint of honey on it. Mead?
‘What do you want with me?’
‘I’m not sure,’ Rhin said. ‘Yet. There are certain parties that are extremely interested in you, though, and that has piqued my interest. Tell me of yourself, Corban of Dun Carreg. Of your kin, your friends. I would know everything about you.’
Corban woke to a throbbing pain in his wrists.
Where am I?
His eyes fluttered open and he saw a pot sitting over a small fire, could hear water bubbling within it.
Rhin.
Pains started registering, first his wrists, where the shackles had borne his slumped weight, then his ribs and kidneys, where Conall had beaten him.
‘You should have told her what you know,’ Braith advised. ‘She’ll get what she wants out of you anyway, so you might as well save yourself some pain.’
‘Where is she?’ Corban asked. He took his weight on his legs, removing the pressure from his wrists. He felt blood trickling down his forearms.
‘Don’t worry, she’ll be back soon enough.’
A noise seeped into his consciousness, a creaking, tapping sound. He looked up at the shuttered window, high on the opposite wall. Light still streamed through, the occasional snowflake. Then a shadow crossed the gap between the shutters, something beyond blocking the light. He heard the tapping again, followed by a squawk.