place. After that, the whole thing will be easy.’
‘But when is that going to be?’ Valena snapped, turning to face him. ‘I’m sick of this place, these people. You allow me no company other than your boys – and you won’t let me touch them, either. I’m growing to hate this house and the way you must come in secret every night. When are we going to do something, Nash? When?’
‘What would you suggest? These things can’t be hurried, you know that.’
‘Then let me do something. If you can’t get close enough to Vaughn to find out where this library is, let me work on him.’
Nash shook his head, a small laugh escaping. ‘He’s taken the Vow, my dear. He wouldn’t let you close enough to seduce him.’
Valena waved her arms in frustration. ‘Then let me go toElita. You’ve said enough times that there’s a lot of ground work you need to do before she can take her place. I can start that for you. She’s never seen me before. She wouldn’t suspect anything. I could befriend her, talk to her.’
‘No . . .’ Nash’s voice trailed off as he felt a sudden brush against his senses. Unfamiliar and alarming.
‘What’s wrong?’ Valena murmured.
Nash stood and wandered to the window. Focusing, he sent his senses out into the dawn-fresh morning, trying to locate the origin. It was still there, pressing and releasing, testing, no more. Somebody was Seeking, and they knew what to look for.
‘I think we may have found our rogue,’ Nash smiled, withdrawing. Abruptly, the brush vanished – or rather, moved on. ‘Did you feel anything?’
‘No.’
‘Then it wasn’t one of your Malachi brethren. This is wonderful!’ Nash laughed. ‘He’s made it easy for us. Now I don’t have to go out looking for him. He’s right here, in Marsay.’
‘But you didn’t get a location, did you?’
‘Not an exact one, no. But I know where to start looking. Besides, I don’t need to go far. I’ll just wait until the next time he tries it.’ Nash laughed again and caught Valena up in his arms. ‘Unless I miss my guess, he’ll probably try again at dusk. Then I’ll have him!’
*
Rosalind sat by the bed and kept hold of Galiena’s hand. Only now, as the dawn began to filter through the window, did the child sink into a peaceful sleep. Her face was beaded with sweat, but her brow was clear of the dark and terrible agony her nightmares had induced. Her fair hair was laid out on the pillow, tangled and matted with her tossing in the night. Rosalind would brush it later, in the warmth of the morning. Until then, she would let the child sleep on.
Feeling no tiredness herself, Rosalind watched the sun rise over the distant hills. This was no way to treat a gentle, sensitive child of nine. But Kenrick, although only seven, had suffered no ill-effects from witnessing the execution. He’dwatched the whole thing, glowing afterwards at the delight his father had shown for his strength. The more Selar praised him, the more Kenrick grew within himself. Soon the two would be inseparable.
There was a soft knock at the door and Samah crept in. The veil which usually covered her long, auburn hair was gone. Her lovely face glowed in the morning light.
‘She sleeps peacefully now?’ Samah whispered, coming closer.
‘For the last hour. And Kenrick?’
‘He’s fine. I should think he’ll be awake soon, ready for the day’s adventures.’
Rosalind sighed. ‘I wish you didn’t have to leave. I understand your vocation – but I’m selfish and I would much rather you could stay here, with me. I wish you could help me with the children. They have such need of your love, your kindness.’
Samah knelt beside her and took her other hand. ‘They already have a loving mother, Sister.’
‘By the gods, Samah,’ Rosalind breathed. ‘How long is this to go on? In a few years, he will have Galiena betrothed and sent away. Kenrick will move from the nursery and out of my influence. Then Selar will bully and mould
‘But when is that going to be?’ Valena snapped, turning to face him. ‘I’m sick of this place, these people. You allow me no company other than your boys – and you won’t let me touch them, either. I’m growing to hate this house and the way you must come in secret every night. When are we going to do something, Nash? When?’
‘What would you suggest? These things can’t be hurried, you know that.’
‘Then let me do something. If you can’t get close enough to Vaughn to find out where this library is, let me work on him.’
Nash shook his head, a small laugh escaping. ‘He’s taken the Vow, my dear. He wouldn’t let you close enough to seduce him.’
Valena waved her arms in frustration. ‘Then let me go toElita. You’ve said enough times that there’s a lot of ground work you need to do before she can take her place. I can start that for you. She’s never seen me before. She wouldn’t suspect anything. I could befriend her, talk to her.’
‘No . . .’ Nash’s voice trailed off as he felt a sudden brush against his senses. Unfamiliar and alarming.
‘What’s wrong?’ Valena murmured.
Nash stood and wandered to the window. Focusing, he sent his senses out into the dawn-fresh morning, trying to locate the origin. It was still there, pressing and releasing, testing, no more. Somebody was Seeking, and they knew what to look for.
‘I think we may have found our rogue,’ Nash smiled, withdrawing. Abruptly, the brush vanished – or rather, moved on. ‘Did you feel anything?’
‘No.’
‘Then it wasn’t one of your Malachi brethren. This is wonderful!’ Nash laughed. ‘He’s made it easy for us. Now I don’t have to go out looking for him. He’s right here, in Marsay.’
‘But you didn’t get a location, did you?’
‘Not an exact one, no. But I know where to start looking. Besides, I don’t need to go far. I’ll just wait until the next time he tries it.’ Nash laughed again and caught Valena up in his arms. ‘Unless I miss my guess, he’ll probably try again at dusk. Then I’ll have him!’
*
Rosalind sat by the bed and kept hold of Galiena’s hand. Only now, as the dawn began to filter through the window, did the child sink into a peaceful sleep. Her face was beaded with sweat, but her brow was clear of the dark and terrible agony her nightmares had induced. Her fair hair was laid out on the pillow, tangled and matted with her tossing in the night. Rosalind would brush it later, in the warmth of the morning. Until then, she would let the child sleep on.
Feeling no tiredness herself, Rosalind watched the sun rise over the distant hills. This was no way to treat a gentle, sensitive child of nine. But Kenrick, although only seven, had suffered no ill-effects from witnessing the execution. He’dwatched the whole thing, glowing afterwards at the delight his father had shown for his strength. The more Selar praised him, the more Kenrick grew within himself. Soon the two would be inseparable.
There was a soft knock at the door and Samah crept in. The veil which usually covered her long, auburn hair was gone. Her lovely face glowed in the morning light.
‘She sleeps peacefully now?’ Samah whispered, coming closer.
‘For the last hour. And Kenrick?’
‘He’s fine. I should think he’ll be awake soon, ready for the day’s adventures.’
Rosalind sighed. ‘I wish you didn’t have to leave. I understand your vocation – but I’m selfish and I would much rather you could stay here, with me. I wish you could help me with the children. They have such need of your love, your kindness.’
Samah knelt beside her and took her other hand. ‘They already have a loving mother, Sister.’
‘By the gods, Samah,’ Rosalind breathed. ‘How long is this to go on? In a few years, he will have Galiena betrothed and sent away. Kenrick will move from the nursery and out of my influence. Then Selar will bully and mould
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