Well of the Damned

Chapter 23





The first farm they came to outside of Saliria was well drained and gave Gavin hope the problem wasn’t as bad as he’d feared. The soil was saturated, but the rainwater mostly ran towards the creek beds.

“Why don’t you four go to the Rusty Duck tavern and rest. I got some business to attend to.”

“I’ll come with you,” Daia said.

“You can’t. This I got to do alone. Put on your ring, though. I’ll need you in a little while.”

The town of Saliria was small enough that, though the streets were narrow, they were sparsely populated. A large, armed man on a horse drew little attention. He found space between two buildings on an alley where he could work without being seen. Nicholia had said Rogan’s last visit was about noon on the first day of Junis, and so Gavin, with his fingers curled around the rune of time, held that day and time in his mind. He relaxed his normal vision and, with Daia’s help, used his hidden eye to see the vortex. It cycled through the colors of the rainbow in the same order every time, making it easy to anticipate when it would turn blue. “Taendat,” he said, and then stepped into it.

The loopy feeling in his belly caught him off balance, but a hand against the wall steadied him. Everything looked the same as it had only a moment ago. He wasn’t sure he’d traveled back in time. There was one way to find out.

Gavin waited on the street not far from where the road branched off to go towards Rogan’s house. If it was close to noon on the first day of Junis, and if Nicholia had been telling the truth, Rogan would be delivering his last payment soon.

Gavin paced while he waited, wondering what he would say. Rogan didn’t know he’d be dead within a month. He didn’t know how little time he had left. Liera and their sons missed Rogan deeply, which helped to intensify the guilt he was feeling. He had the power to come back and see his brother anytime he wanted, and yet, he’d waited three months to do it. If Liera had this power, she wouldn’t have waited, nor would Rogan’s boys. Of course, they hadn’t been the reason Rogan was dead, either.

There he was, approaching from the north on his brown gelding. Gavin hid around the corner of the building and waited for Rogan to ride past. Gavin’s palms grew sweaty and his eyes burned. All the grief, guilt, longing and sadness threatened to overpower him. He was chastising himself for becoming foolishly emotional when he realized Rogan was getting away. He broke into a run, desperate not to lose sight of the brother he’d already lost once. He followed Rogan through the narrow streets of Saliria. Soon, Rogan dismounted in front of a cottage.

Gavin’s chest heaved from the run, and he stopped in the street, watching as Rogan placed a bundle underneath a rock on the stoop, just as Nicholia had claimed he did. It was true, then. Rogan Kinshield was the father of her child. By the time Rogan climbed back into the saddle and started back the way he’d come, Gavin was standing in the middle of the street with his arms crossed.

“Little Brother? What are you doing here?” Rogan asked. He looked around nervously, as though he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t have.

“We need to talk,” Gavin said quietly.

Rogan dismounted and walked up to embrace his brother. Gavin hugged him fiercely, reluctant to let go. He felt his eyes burning as if he might weep, and he held Rogan even tighter. Rogan patted his back and started to pull away, but Gavin held a moment longer.

“You awright, Little Brother?” Rogan asked.

Gavin released him but kept an arm around Rogan’s shoulder. “I ain’t here to judge you. I just need to know the truth.”

Rogan’s forehead wrinkled. “The truth about what? What’s wrong?”

“I met a girl. She said her name is Keturah Kinshield, and she said I’m her father. Is that where she lives?”

Rogan’s eyes flew wide. He turned away, perhaps in shame, with his head hung low. “You’re not,” he said. “You don’t need to worry. I’m taking care of her, though I wish I could do more.”

“Liera doesn’t know?”

Rogan shook his head. “She’d never forgive me for that, and I couldn’t live seein’ disgust or disrespect in her eyes every day. That’s why I had to lie. I’m sorry, Little Brother. I never meant to hurt you. You don’t spend much time in Saliria, and people don’t know you here. I didn’t think this would come back to you.”

Gavin put a hand on Rogan’s shoulder and squeezed it. He knew he had to be careful what he said because he couldn’t attempt to alter the future. He also had to let Rogan know his secret was safe. “I understand. I ain’t asking you to change anything. I just needed to know the truth, and I didn’t know whether I could trust the word o’the woman Nicholia. I needed to hear it from you.”

“It didn’t mean anything, Gavin,” Rogan said. “You got to believe me. I love my wife. I love my family, but I also got a duty to this girl. It wasn’t her fault I lost my honor. She shouldn’t have to pay for my mistakes.”

Gavin nodded. “I know. You’re doing the right thing. That’s proof enough you didn’t lose your honor. You still got it.”

Rogan didn’t say anything, nor did he meet his brother’s eyes. “I’ll never stop regretting what I did, but I got to make sure all my children get what they need.”

“It was a mistake, no doubt, but there’s no other choice. If Liera ever hears about this, it’ll break her heart. You keep doing what you’re doing. You hear me, Rogan?” Gavin pulled on Rogan’s shoulder to turn him around. “Look at me. You don’t change a thing, awright? Don’t tell her you’re not Gavin Kinshield. If anyone asks me, I’ll acknowledge her as my daughter.”

Rogan put an arm around Gavin. “Thanks, Little Brother. I owe you big.”

Gavin nearly broke down and wept. Rogan would be dead in a matter of weeks because of Gavin, and now he felt he owed a debt. That was just wrong. “No, you don’t owe me anything. Just… Go home to your family, and let them know you love them. Do that for me, will you?”

Rogan looked him in the eye. “You sure everything’s awright? You ain’t sick, are you?”

Gavin snorted regretfully. “No, I’m fine. I got some business to attend, but I’ll stop by for a visit in a little while.”

The brothers bid each other a fond farewell with a hearty embrace. Again, Gavin held Rogan for just a moment longer, relishing the warmth of his body, and the beating of his heart against his own. Knowing he could return and visit Rogan anytime was both bitter and sweet.

He stroked the horse’s muzzle while Rogan climbed into the saddle. “We won’t speak o’this again,” Gavin said. “If you bring it up, I’ll pretend I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Rogan nodded. “I understand.”

“Your boys love you,” Gavin said. His voice caught in his throat, and he coughed to clear it. “Jaesh isn’t sure you know that.”

“O’course I know it. Why would he doubt it?” Rogan asked, looking down with a scowl.

Gavin shrugged. “Ask him.”

Rogan reached down and gripped Gavin’s shoulder. “Stop by afore you leave town. Liera’ll want to feed you.” He waved as he headed back to his home.

Gavin watched him ride away, hesitant to take his eyes off his brother’s living form. “I love you too, Rogan,” he said quietly.