Page 96 of Court of Talons

Yet another reason why he’s hated me so well, for so long. Had he killed me as the law had dictated he could, even should, he firmly believes the Light would have granted my mother several more children. I suspect not, but there’s no denying that Merritt’s birth assured my continued survival.

And my mother did her part as well, returning to the Light two years ago, after yet another illness. Her death allowed Father to remarry—which he did, though his second wife’s first child was also a female, the two of them now banished to one of our lesser holdings. Maybe now they’ll be allowed back to the manor house.

If they’re smart, they’ll stay away.

“Merritt.”

I scramble back from the edge of the precipice, startled at the sound of my brother’s name echoing over the surface. The abyss distorts the word and sends it back to me in odd waves. I can see nothing in the gloom for a long moment, and I don’t trust myself to respond. Then a lamp flares in the distance, and I nearly cry out. How quickly I’ve begun to yearn for light again! It seems almost like a benediction.

“Merritt.” The voice comes again, strangely harder now, but I recognize it. Fortiss. I step forward.

“I’m here. Here.” I say the words as a normal conversation and instantly regret them when the lamp flickers out. How many guards does Rihad have stationed in the cavern? Have I just broken some protocol that would result in me being taken to another cell, one not so friendly? And below me in the murk, I hear a long, fluttering shudder. The sound of a winged creature shifting against the cavern wall. I’ve even disturbed Szonja.

I sigh but creep closer to the edge of the precipice, glad to have some company in the darkness. The drift of sound below me and to my right lets me know that Szonja has moved, the deep ruffling noise conjuring up images of her broken wing, stretching in the mists. The air smells sweet here, and I wonder how far we are from the oiled stones.

“Why do you stay here, Szonja?” I murmur, too low for the creature to hear me. The sound of my own voice is comforting in the darkness.

“Who are you talking to?”

Fortiss’s voice sounds directly above me, and he laughs as I startle back, stumbling. “Stand aside, I’m coming down.”

A moment later, he drops down on light feet, and I feel rather than see the mists shift beside me. He straightens and scowls at me, while I stand as far away from him as the ledge allows.“What did you do to anger Rihad? He hasn’t stowed a man down here in years.”

My eyes widen, the need to tell my tale warring with my need to keep the fragile bond between us. He doesn’t know?

Of course he doesn’t know. He wouldn’t be here if he did. In fact, once he knows for sure…

I tighten my jaw. The way of the warrior may be death, but I’ve damned well died enough times today already.

“I suspect you’ll hear about it in the morning,” I say, pitching my voice deliberately low. He’s seen me in this space as Talia. In the darkness, his ears might tell him something more than his eyes could.

“But I want you to tell me now. I could help.”

I snort. “Not likely, but I thank you. You should go, though. There may be guards.”

He shakes his head. “Just because I honor my uncle’s rules—usually—doesn’t mean I don’t know how to elude the gaze of the guards. Besides, I wanted to come.” He peers at me curiously through the gloom, and I can barely make out the confusion on his face. “You sound…a little odd.”

I rub my hand over my mouth, trying to mask my voice. “It’s been a long day.” To forestall his questions, though, I know I must tell him…something. “I’m not Merritt,” I sigh. “I’m just one of his, um, company. Lord Lemille didn’t send me to the Tournament of Gold. When he showed up yesterday and realized my lie, he said as much to Rihad. And here I am.”

Fortiss’s shock is plain. “You’re not—but who are you? You have a Divh, and clearly a first line one. Whose house do you represent?”

It’s a good question, and I don’t have the answer to it, but I stumble on anyway. “The Tenth, still. I…I was with Merritt when he died. I took on the sacred charge of his Divh to avenge his death.”

“To avenge…” He pauses. “But if you’re not Merritt, who are you? What’s your name?

I shake my head. “I’m no one,” I say hollowly.A lie. A cheat.“You know, just call me Merritt. He’s the only reason I am here.”

Before Fortiss can say anything more, I rush on. “Tomorrow, I fight, though I dishonor the Tenth by being here under false pretenses. There’s nothing more I can do about that.”

Szonja shivers in the darkness beneath me, and I turn, warmed to see her giant, thoughtful eye now level with our ledge, her gleaming snout angled up, her lips pulled back. A stream of smoke wafts out between her teeth.

Fortiss follows my gaze.

“What?” he asks. “What do you see out there?”

I swerve back toward him, startled. It’s one thing that he couldn’t see her when we were both above the oiled rocks, but here? So close? “You cannot see the, ah, beast that roams this cavern?” I ask. “It’s right…well, here.”

Szonja twitches away but only slightly as I tug Fortiss closer. He frowns, peering into the mist. “I’ve heard it whispered that Rihad has enchanted the space. But the Lord Protector is no spell caster, for all that he believes in premonitions and dreams. I don’t know what the guards have told you, but don’t you believe it, either.” He turns to peer at me. “And you’re wrong about him, still. He didn’t kill your lord.”