“Climb.”
Ahead, he saw a tree with a trunk split low and ran to it. He put his foot in the split and hauled himself up.
He’d made it four feet up when the bear’s claws raked across his face, knocking his grip loose. He fell to the ground.
“Yah!” Papa shouted. He stabbed the bear in the back with his knife. It roared and swiped him. He went tumbling.
Gavin scrambled to his feet and ran to the next tree. He climbed as fast as he could. His feet scrabbled for purchase, slipped, and caught. Eight feet up... Ten feet up... Bear claws raked bark from the tree only inches below his foot. Twelve feet... Fifteen... He stopped about twenty feet above the ground.
The bear sow, unable to reach him, turned on Papa, who was limping toward a tree. “Papa, run!” Gavin shouted.
Papa was injured, clutching his arm to his body. He reached a tree and started to climb. The bear gave chase. Then it was upon him with teeth and claws. Papa screamed. Blood sprayed everywhere.
No, no, no, no. Gavin squeezed his eyes shut and clutched the tree as if by thinking hard enough he could stop what was happening. He would wake up. This was just a dream. It wasn’t real.
At last Papa’s screams stopped, and all Gavin heard was the bear’s angry growls. He couldn’t bring himself to look. Let Papa be knocked out. Gavin stood on the branch for what felt like hours, waiting for the bear to leave. When he realized the sound he heard was the flapping of scavenger wings, he dared to open his eyes. What he saw would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life — a red blanket of forest litter and body parts strewn across it like a devil’s picnic.
Gavin’s voice was quiet, stripped bare like his soul laid out for Rogan and Daia to see.
“I don’t need to know the rest,” Rogan said. “You got him home. I can imagine what you went through to do it. You were a boy. No child should ever have to see what you saw or do what you did.”
“Don’t you see, Rogan?” Gavin said. “I killed Papa as surely as that bear did.”
Rogan shook his head slowly. “I see. I also got a son the same age you were then, and I know the foolishness of boys and the trouble it can cause. Don’t you think you’ve punished yourself enough for it?”
“But—”
“No,” Rogan said. “If it helps any, I forgive you. Now focus on the things you can do and the problems you can solve. Find the whoreson who done this.” Rogan pointed to the crate. “And kill him. Kill Ravenkind afore he can do more damage.”
“Gavin,” Daia said, “if you and Rogan list all the Kinshields you can think of, I’ll dispatch a request to send Viragon Sisters to guard their homes. We may not be able to protect them all, but if Ravenkind tries something like this again, at least we’ll have a chance at stopping him.”
Rogan put his hand on Gavin’s shoulder. “Whatever you need me to do, just ask.”
“For now, keep it quiet,” Gavin said. “Don’t tell anyone who the king is. Anyone.”
“Don’t you think your family deserves to know?” Rogan asked, scowling. “Don’t you think you ought to tell that lady out there whose life you’re thinkin’ o’turnin’ upside down?”
Gavin blinked at his brother. He felt an unfamiliar heat fill his face.
“Don’t try to convince yourself nobody sees it. She’s a fine lady and a friend o’mine and Liera’s. You owe her the truth, Little Brother. Before you capture her heart, not after.”
Chapter 16
Calie was already moving before Daia was fully in the saddle, no doubt sensing her rider’s urgency. Daia heeled her mount and rode at a gallop to Saliria, not slowing until she reached the main street. She trotted when she could, walked when too many people made it necessary. The streets were busy for a city its size, though nothing like the streets of Tern or even Ambryce. Many gaped at her, pausing to watch the swordswoman go by.
“Lordover Saliria should follow in the Lordover Tern’s footsteps and
Ahead, he saw a tree with a trunk split low and ran to it. He put his foot in the split and hauled himself up.
He’d made it four feet up when the bear’s claws raked across his face, knocking his grip loose. He fell to the ground.
“Yah!” Papa shouted. He stabbed the bear in the back with his knife. It roared and swiped him. He went tumbling.
Gavin scrambled to his feet and ran to the next tree. He climbed as fast as he could. His feet scrabbled for purchase, slipped, and caught. Eight feet up... Ten feet up... Bear claws raked bark from the tree only inches below his foot. Twelve feet... Fifteen... He stopped about twenty feet above the ground.
The bear sow, unable to reach him, turned on Papa, who was limping toward a tree. “Papa, run!” Gavin shouted.
Papa was injured, clutching his arm to his body. He reached a tree and started to climb. The bear gave chase. Then it was upon him with teeth and claws. Papa screamed. Blood sprayed everywhere.
No, no, no, no. Gavin squeezed his eyes shut and clutched the tree as if by thinking hard enough he could stop what was happening. He would wake up. This was just a dream. It wasn’t real.
At last Papa’s screams stopped, and all Gavin heard was the bear’s angry growls. He couldn’t bring himself to look. Let Papa be knocked out. Gavin stood on the branch for what felt like hours, waiting for the bear to leave. When he realized the sound he heard was the flapping of scavenger wings, he dared to open his eyes. What he saw would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life — a red blanket of forest litter and body parts strewn across it like a devil’s picnic.
Gavin’s voice was quiet, stripped bare like his soul laid out for Rogan and Daia to see.
“I don’t need to know the rest,” Rogan said. “You got him home. I can imagine what you went through to do it. You were a boy. No child should ever have to see what you saw or do what you did.”
“Don’t you see, Rogan?” Gavin said. “I killed Papa as surely as that bear did.”
Rogan shook his head slowly. “I see. I also got a son the same age you were then, and I know the foolishness of boys and the trouble it can cause. Don’t you think you’ve punished yourself enough for it?”
“But—”
“No,” Rogan said. “If it helps any, I forgive you. Now focus on the things you can do and the problems you can solve. Find the whoreson who done this.” Rogan pointed to the crate. “And kill him. Kill Ravenkind afore he can do more damage.”
“Gavin,” Daia said, “if you and Rogan list all the Kinshields you can think of, I’ll dispatch a request to send Viragon Sisters to guard their homes. We may not be able to protect them all, but if Ravenkind tries something like this again, at least we’ll have a chance at stopping him.”
Rogan put his hand on Gavin’s shoulder. “Whatever you need me to do, just ask.”
“For now, keep it quiet,” Gavin said. “Don’t tell anyone who the king is. Anyone.”
“Don’t you think your family deserves to know?” Rogan asked, scowling. “Don’t you think you ought to tell that lady out there whose life you’re thinkin’ o’turnin’ upside down?”
Gavin blinked at his brother. He felt an unfamiliar heat fill his face.
“Don’t try to convince yourself nobody sees it. She’s a fine lady and a friend o’mine and Liera’s. You owe her the truth, Little Brother. Before you capture her heart, not after.”
Chapter 16
Calie was already moving before Daia was fully in the saddle, no doubt sensing her rider’s urgency. Daia heeled her mount and rode at a gallop to Saliria, not slowing until she reached the main street. She trotted when she could, walked when too many people made it necessary. The streets were busy for a city its size, though nothing like the streets of Tern or even Ambryce. Many gaped at her, pausing to watch the swordswoman go by.
“Lordover Saliria should follow in the Lordover Tern’s footsteps and
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