Lexin's Quest (Knights of Kismera Book 2) Page 3

  Lexin flinched as if Cerise had struck him.

  “Lexin, what’s wrong?” she asked, concerned at the expression on his face.

  He took her hand in his, holding it a second longer than was necessary. “Nothing Lady,” he said, and then sighed heavily. “I am tired is all, and sore. I have been in the saddle for nearly two seven-days.”

  Lexin glanced around to see who was in the stable. For the moment they were alone, although the stable boy would be back at any time with feed for the stallion.

  He propped his bow against a stall and then took Cerise gently by the upper arms. He pulled her to him to hug her against his broad chest and then dropped a chaste kiss to her forehead. “I have missed you, little one.”

  “You’re going to be limping on your other leg if you call me little again,” Cerise warned, but was smiling when she said it.

  At her five-foot-seven, Lexin had almost six inches on her. For the first time since his arrival, he smiled broadly at her. It transformed him into a heart stopping handsome man. But as quickly as it had appeared, his smile disappeared. While still handsome, despite the dirt and several days of beard stubble, he looked much more foreboding.

  Lexin gently set Cerise away from him and took his bow once more. “Come, woman. I am fair starved and I could use a bit of a wash.” He rubbed at his bearded jaw.

  “I’ll go let Estelle know you’re here,” she said, referring to the housekeeper who ruled the running of Oralia as much as Ki did, through her command of the kitchens and household. “And see that a bath is prepared for you. You’re usual room is clean. I can take your things there for you. I imagine you’ll want to see Ki and Cearan now.”

  They had been walking toward the castle, but at her words he stopped. For a long time he stood and stared at the huge stone building, its red gold stones warm in the sunlight. It was an impressive structure of four stories. The towers at each corner raised two more. At the closest one, men could be seen at their posts as lookouts.

  Finally, he gave a little shake of his head and resumed his walk. Cerise looked up at him and then turned her head away quickly. There was a look of such raw pain on his face she knew he would not want her to see it.

  Just outside the door to the main hall, Cerise stopped him with a hand on his arm. “Welcome home, Lexin. I’m very glad you are back.” She took his saddlebags and bow from him to take to his room after she spoke to Estelle.

  He dipped his head in respect to her. “Thank you, my lady.”

  Clearing her throat a little, Cerise felt oddly nervous. “I’ll go speak to Estelle. I’ll see you at dinner then.”

  “I look forward to it,” he replied.

  Chapter Four

  After asking a servant for the whereabouts of Lady Ki, Lexin found her in the chamber below hers and Drace’s. He stood in the doorway of the nursery, silent as a ghost, watching her as she bathed her baby.

  Ki Lionblade, now joined to the family MacKinnon, her mate’s clan, was a formidable woman. Ki was tall at five-ten with long tawny blonde hair. The end of her braid reached just past her hips. Despite having a young child, she still had the lithe build of a warrior. In Lexin’s opinion, she was one of the best warriors, even better than most males. Until she had met Drace MacKinnon, the Dark Lord, she had been one of the most ruthless and arrogant warriors as well.

  She was leader to her people, answering only to the High King himself who left her, for the most part, to her own devices. She was a beautiful, intelligent woman and now she was a mother. Lexin was seeing a new side to her, as she crooned nonsensical words to her son.

  A woman eased past him with a soft word to excuse herself and went to take the babe. Once the child was safely wrapped in a towel and in the nursemaid’s arms, Ki turned and saw Lexin standing in the doorway.

  “Lexin!” she exclaimed as she shook out her skirts. She was dressed in a gown of forest green that made the amber of her eyes glow warmly. Her full mouth curled up in a bright smile. Never one to act in an undignified manner, especially in front of others, Ki walked up to him calmly. She did however hug him warmly. “Cousin, I am so glad you are back. You look as if you traveled hard.”

  He gave a slight smile. “Yes, I have. I am sent on business instead of pleasure though. I will give you my news later after I have bathed and changed. Where are Cearan and Lord Drace?” he asked, releasing her after returning her embrace with a fond squeeze of his own.

  Ki noted the missing fingers of his left hand, holding it to examine the healed wound. She grunted with approval on the finger next to the last, knowing how lucky he was in not losing the whole of it. “Axe?” was all she said of it.

  “Yes, the same day I took two arrows. I made an error a green lad would have made. I was lucky no one was killed, but it was a close thing.”

  Ki made another noise, a hum of understanding, knowing he would tell her later what had happened. If not her, he would tell Cearan. Lexin and her brother were very close, having spent much of their youth together being only nine moons apart in age.

  “Drace and Cearan are out in the pastures looking at the stud colts. They are deciding which ones to geld,” Ki informed him.

  Lexin limped into the room as he gave a sharp laugh of amusement. He went to where the nursemaid sat in a chair holding the baby, rocking her body back and forth to get the babe to sleep. Sleepy tawny eyes looked up at him. Lexin touched a dark brown tuft of hair with one large finger.

  Lexin continued to study the child, touching the tiny hands. Now dressed in a tiny long shirt, and having been fed and bathed, the baby gave a milky little sigh.

  “What is his name?”

  Ki came over and touched his arm. “Brann, after an ancestor of Drace’s who was a great warrior,” Ki informed him. “I will order a bath sent to your chambers,” she added and turned for the door.

  “Cerise has already done so,” Lexin told her as he straightened from the baby. “I saw her in the stable.”

  The two headed down the stairs, Lexin’s spurs ringing in the stairwell. At the bottom, Lexin headed in the direction of his bedchamber while Ki went toward the kitchens.

  Once in his room, he found his bath was ready and a serving maid there to help him remove his chain mail. When he was down to his shirt and breeches, he sat and removed his boots. The maid waited expectantly, but he dismissed her, wanting some privacy. He certainly was in no mood for female companionship and the woman had appeared willing to assist him with that as well. Looking disappointed, she left with only a parting nod.

  He bathed quickly and then shaved, glad to be rid of the itching beard. Aware that the evening meal would soon be served, Lexin dressed, removed the spurs and wiped his boots clean. He ran a brush through his long hair and left it loose. He looked at his reflection in a mirror and brushed at his white linen shirt that hung over his soft leather breeches. Satisfied in his appearance, he left to go to the main hall.

  Drace MacKinnon was an easy man to locate among those already gathered. Lexin saw him as soon as he came into the main hall. He was taller than all the other men and had long, dark mahogany brown hair, blue gray eyes, and the lean muscular build of a warrior. Despite the fact that he was a human, he was liked and respected by all the warriors and tenants of Oralia. He was Ki’s mate, almost her equal in rank, and was commonly referred to as the Dark Lord due to his coloring.

  Drace stood close to Ki, one hand possessively on the small of her back. He wore a black long sleeve tunic with crimson embroidery over black breeches and boots. His hair was still damp from his bath and hung, unbraided, past his shoulders.

  When Drace turned his head, he spotted Lexin coming across the hall. He leaned down to speak to Ki and then left her to meet Lexin, a broad smile on his handsome face.

  Lexin stopped in front of him and dipped his head in respect. “My lord,” he greeted.

  “My lord, my ass,” Drace exclaimed and enveloped him in a manly hug, and they slapped each other on the b
ack. “Jesus, man, it’s good to see you again.” Releasing him, Drace stood back to look at Lexin. “You’ve been missed, Lexin.”

  If Lexin lived another fifty springs, he doubted he would ever totally understand Drace. The man had an unusual manner of speech.

  “It is good to be back,” Lexin returned, one corner of his mouth turning up in a faint smile that faded quickly.

  Drace gave him a searching look. “I take it this is not just a social visit?”

  Lexin hesitated for a brief moment. “No, it is not, I am afraid.”

  “We can discuss it after dinner, Lexin.” Drace looked over the younger man’s shoulder. “Cearan just came in. I’ll let you say hello to him, my friend. Come up to our chamber after we eat and you can fill us all in, okay?”

  Drace gave Lexin a friendly pat on the shoulder, and with a quick nod, walked away to return to Ki.

  Lexin turned and saw Cearan headed his way with a big smile on his face. Cearan looked much like his sister, Ki, with similar coloring, although his hair was a darker shade of blond, darker yet at the crown, his eyes a golden amber. Cearan stood a bit taller than Lexin, but was of very similar build. Across his right eye was a long scar, starting at his hairline and slashing across his brow to his high cheekbone. Only by Arahtok’s grace had the eye itself been spared. He walked with a slight limp, both wounds testament to his being nearly killed at the Battle of Hopa.

  Dressed all in a rich brown, his shirt embroidered at hem and cuffs in silver, Cearan was still striking despite his scar. And with his smile, Lexin knew he probably did not lack for female companionship.

  “By Arahtok’s mane, cousin, ‘tis good to see you!” Cearan exclaimed, pulling Lexin into a bear hug, pounding his back. He stepped back and studied his relative and best friend. “I am hoping you will be with us for a while, yes?”

  Lexin gave him a half-hearted smile. “I wish that was possible, Cearan, but I am here only for a few days. ‘Tis a long ride from Bellmore and my horse and I are tired.”

  “And hungry from the looks of you. Come and sit. Estelle will fatten you up.” Cearan gave him a concerned look, noting that Lexin had indeed lost weight and looked almost gaunt. There was a worried, tense air about his friend as well.

  Steering Lexin to the head table, they sat. Cearan requested wine for them both from a passing servant girl.

  The wine arrived quickly. When Lexin took the offered goblet, Cearan noticed the missing fingers of Lexin’s left hand. Lexin gave him a brief explanation of the wound but halted their conversation when someone else entered the hall for the evening meal.

  Cerise took the last step from the stairwell and nervously smoothed the skirt of her dress, one of her best. It was a deep blue with an underskirt of a lighter shade of blue, with long sleeves and a modestly low bodice. She had taken care to dress her hair, brushing it out and leaving most of it loose except for the side locks pinned high, causing the ends to curl prettily around her throat.

  “The Lady Cerise may have missed you the most, I believe. She watched for your return everyday for many moons,” Cearan whispered. He glanced at his cousin who sat as if frozen, a longing look on his face.

  Lexin’s expression changed to one of indifference. “I wish that she had not. I am not for that one,” Lexin muttered, but rose politely when she came to take the seat next to his.

  Cearan sat back in his chair, puzzled.

  After everyone was seated, the meal was served, starting with fresh greens from the kitchen gardens, followed by a tasty soup of potatoes and celery-like vegetables.

  Lexin ate sparingly, finding he had little appetite, despite the fact he had been hungry when he had entered the hall. When the bison beast roast was served along with fresh bread and butter, he found the food stuck in his throat, which had gone tight with the anger that had plagued him during the entire journey from Bellmore.

  Cerise watched him throughout the meal, noting how he left most of his servings, and also how he had drained his cup of wine several times.

  “Lexin, are you alright?” she finally questioned, concerned. He is not normally this quiet or broody, she observed. She gave a small gasp when he turned eyes that blazed with heat her way.

  He gathered himself and his dark eyes cooled. “I am fine, my lady. I find that I am very weary.” He rose, a little unsteady. “If everyone will excuse me, I believe I will retire. Lord MacKinnon, I will visit with you on the morrow if that is alright.”

  Drace looked up at him, and a confused look crossed his face. “Of course, rest well,” he said. Ki nodded as well, her expression reflecting her mate’s.

  Lexin moved from the table, and made his way from the hall, his limp more profound, as much from the wine he had consumed as from the painful bruise on his thigh.

  Cerise ducked her head to hide the disappointment she felt but not before Cearan saw it. He reached over the now empty space and placed his hand over hers where it rested on the table.

  “Something troubles him, little one. I know not what, but I will find out. It is not you.”

  Cerise blinked back tears and turned her hand so that Cearan’s fingers curled through hers. “You can’t know that for sure,” she whispered through her sobs. “I had thought…,” she stifled a sob.

  Cearan leaned over further and said, “Do not think on it just now. I will talk to him and I will fix this if I can, I promise.”Lexin paused at the foot of the stairs. He turned and saw Cearan and Cerise, heads together, hands joined. So that is the way of it, he thought bitterly. He was too late. He stopped a servant as he resumed his climb, requesting more wine to be sent to his room. His gut churned as he made his way to his chamber.

  Chapter Five

  Lexin woke the next morning to a pounding headache and a rebellious stomach, regretting the second bottle of wine he drank on a nearly empty stomach. He lay still as death until he felt he could open his eyes and not vomit. The dark beams in the ceiling came into view when he braved it, and he realized, by the amount of light in the room, that was already late morning. A groan escaped him and he closed his eyes again.

  He lay there for a long while, wishing he could die so that he might feel better, and then wishing he had not come to Oralia. Secrets his mother had confided to him before she died whispered through his head. Secrets that, if revealed to those he cared for in this fortress, would cause hurt and distrust. It was possible that he would be banished from these halls as well. However, his King had commanded him to request help. What choice do I have? I must do as I was bid. he thought. First though, he needed to be sick, and then if he survived it, he would begin his day by swimming in the river to clear his head.

  Lexin, with his hair still slightly damp from his swim, stood facing a cold hearth in the Lord and Lady’s chambers while he waited with Cearan for their arrival. His belly clenched more with nerves than from being violently ill earlier in the morning. He could tell Cearan was confused at the lack of response put forth in his old friend’s attempts at conversation.

  The door from the hall into the sitting room opened and Ki and Drace entered, Cerise behind them. Cerise sat next to Ki in chairs by the hearth. Drace stood behind Ki. Lexin turned to face them all once Cearan sat down in a chair beside him.

  Lexin expected some sort of comment on his behavior the night before, or regarding his late appearance this morning. No one spoke. They waited patiently for him to inform them of the reason of his visit. He cleared his throat and looked at each of them, his eyes cold when they rested on Cerise and then Cearan. “I have been sent on a quest by King Yeager….” He paused for a moment and then continued. “I am to search for his son, Greer, and return him to the High Kingdom.”

  There were gasps from his audience at that announcement.

  “The child died shortly after birth,” Ki exclaimed. “Yeager has gone totally insane.”

  “We did receive word that he had taken a spill and hit his head. First time out in years and he crashes and burns,” Dr
ace added.

  Lexin raised an eyebrow at Drace’s comment, and then continued. “Yes, right, I suppose.” He rose and began to pace slowly in front of the fireplace, his hands behind his back. “I discovered that, in truth, the child did live, and was taken from Bellmore in secret. Seaha’s maidservant left after her mistress’ death. However, I have since learned that when she left, she took the new babe with her, along with two warriors and went to Trevess to take a ship.”

  “Jesus Christ,” Drace breathed. “They could have gone anywhere from there.”

  “The child would have been taken to a place where Lion-kin would be accepted,” Lexin informed him. “There are many places we visit, but few where Werren could live freely and blend into society without question.”

  Cearan sat drumming his fingers on the arm of his chair, stunned at Lexin’s news, as were the others in the room. “What would you have us do to help you in your search?”

  “A group of warriors would cause too much interest, I think. I should go alone, on the pretense of some mission for Oralia.”

  “No! That would be too dangerous. You might have your throat slit as soon as you left these shores without someone to watch your back,” Cearan proclaimed. “I will go with you. We have watched out for each other many times.”

  Lexin stopped his pacing and faced Cearan, but before he could speak Ki stood with a hand out to stop all conversation.

  “Be quiet, both of you, and let me think,” she ordered and then went to stand by a window. She placed her hands on her hips, her back to the rest of the room. She wore breeches today, as she had been on the practice field early with Drace and Cearan.

  “Do not tell me I cannot go, sister, for I will go with your approval or nay,” Cearan spoke calmly from his seat across the room, but there was a thread of steel in his words that would brook no argument.

  “Two others will go with you, Lexin, along with Cearan. I will send whatever silver is necessary as well. We will find maps for you in the library. When do you plan to leave?” Ki asked as she turned back to face him.