Chapter 13
The awful pain in his leg was the first thing Ren noticed. The second was that he was lying on solid ground instead of drowning in a lake. And the third was that he was soaked.
His eyes flew open. Coughing, he struggled to push himself into a sitting position, but his legs and arms felt heavy and he could hardly move.
“You should rest,” an unfamiliar voice said from behind him.
A strange man stood carelessly against a nearby tree, staring up at the sky. The man was only a few years older than Ren, and his clothes suggested he was an Iridalian peasant. Ren mumbled numbly, “Who in blazes…”
“Actually, who am I kidding?” The man stood up and tossed him his sheathed sword. Ren caught it. “We’d better be going,” the man said cheerfully. “I think the Vipers are close by, and they’ll want to make sure you’re dead.” There was something about his narrowed green eyes and hard smile that made Ren distrust him instinctively.
“Who are you?” Ren demanded.
“Chance.” The man casually squeezed the water out of his long, dirty blond hair. “At least, that’s what I prefer to go by. You’re Ren, right? Formerly General Ren with a cushy little spot in the noble Patrick family, but now a mere commoner on the same level as the rest of us poor peasants.”
“Chance?” Ren struggled to his feet, panting. He glanced down at his leg. The stub of the bolt was still visible, though the end had been broken off, and there was a loose bandage around it. His stomach revolted at the sight and he couldn’t help but wonder if the Vipers poisoned their bolts as well as their daggers. If so, he was probably going to die soon.
“Don’t pull that out,” Chance warned. “You’ll bleed out in no time if you do. As it is, you’ll just get an infection. Or, you know, die of poison. But it’s a slower death, so you’ll get a little more time in this unfriendly world. You really have had a rough day, huh? Getting hit with a bolt, falling off a cliff, and losing your third battle against General Xian.”
“I didn’t lose to Xian!” Ren argued, his face reddening. He could still convince himself that he could have won if only one of the Vipers hadn’t interfered.
Chance shrugged. “Whatever you say. In that case, I guess you just tried to drown yourself for no good reason.” He whistled, and two horses trotted into the little clearing. “Better mount up. Those men will be here soon,” he warned.
Ren frowned suspiciously. “Why are you helping me?”
“Does it really matter? It won’t do your little princess any good if you stay here, will it? Now, I’m going. You can follow if you like,” Chance said cheerfully as he tied his hair up in a messy ponytail.
Ren pulled himself into the saddle, grunting in pain. Urging his horse into a trot to follow Chance, he demanded, “Where are you from? Who sent you? How did you find me? Are you a friend of Trista? How did you know I’d fought Xian before?”
“You know, if you’re going to ask questions, maybe you should wait for answers,” Chance told him wryly.
“Are you going to give me any answers if I do?”
“Of course not. But it’s still polite.”
Chance frowned as Ren turned his horse to the west. “What are you doing?” he demanded.
“I’m going back for Kathryn, of course.” Ren smiled grimly. “Thanks for your help, Blondie.” Chance’s face twitched in annoyance as Ren went on, “I don’t think you want to get mixed up in all this, though. Maybe I’ll see you again sometime.”
He urged his horse in the direction that would lead right back to the Vipers. Grumbling under his breath, Chance darted forward to block Ren with his horse. “Don’t be stupid,” he said irritably. “You’re wounded and half dead. I’d wager you haven’t even recovered from the last time you fought with Xian.”
“So?” Ren glared at him. “Say, Chance, or whatever your name is, I do appreciate you saving my life and all. So I’m going to give you some advice. Don’t get in my way. Where exactly do you think Xian will be going from here? I have to get Kathryn out of there.”
“Why don’t you use your brain instead? Your ex-princess is a bit smarter than the average, wouldn’t you say? At the very least, I’m sure she’s got to be smarter than you. She’s not just going to sit around and wait for Xian to come for her. Now, use that noggin to try to think of where she might go. Did you have a rendezvous point agreed on, or something? I’ll help you get there.”
Ren hesitated, then shook his head. “I don’t trust you.”
“You don’t have to trust me, but you do have to listen, or else you’re going to get us both killed. I saved your life, remember?” Chance said sharply.
The problem was, he was right, and Ren knew it. There was no other choice. Yet he still hesitated.
At last he said, “Do you know the old abandoned shack about two miles west of here?”
“Sure.”
“My old man-I mean, my General wrote me once that it was a place I could go if I was ever in trouble.” Ren urged his horse into a trot, though every bump caused excruciating pain in his leg.
Chance said, “Would that be General Brenin?”
Ren glared at him. “You sure know a lot about us. Why don’t you tell me who you really are? Do you work for Navinor?”
The man laughed. “Do I sound Navinorian?” He had a strong low-class Iridalian accent, with the slight burr that indicated southern origins.
Ren only grunted and pushed his horse into a gallop, biting his lip until it bled to push through the agony.
Chance kept pace with him, calling, “What’s the hurry? There’s probably only a few Vipers after you.”
Ignoring him, Ren pushed his horse on faster. The bigger concern for him was that Xian might be going after Kathryn and Brenin. While Ren had nearly unshakable faith in his old mentor, he also knew Brenin’s limits better than anyone. And he knew Xian was beyond his abilities.
As Kathryn and Brenin neared the little broken down cabin, Kathryn was somewhat fascinated to see that the grizzled veteran was still pale and shaken from his foray through the mines.
Every step in the mines, he’d bumped along the walls behind her, saying words that were entirely unfit for the presence of a lady. It didn’t help that the tiny opal dragons, not much bigger than his fist, kept skittering around his feet as if to trip him up. Every time one of them touched him he jumped and cursed, stomping about to scare it away.
Since she’d never seen him show fear in all the years she’d known him, it was a strange experience. But now that he was in a familiar place and out of the darkness, he was quickly recovering his hard, grumpy exterior.
Kathryn asked, “Will Ren know to meet us at the cabin?”
Brenin replied shortly, “He’d better. I told him about it several times in my letters.”
“Ren doesn’t tend to remember what he reads,” Kathryn worried. “What if-”
“There.” Brenin pointed.
Kathryn felt like her heart was going to burst when she saw Ren’s horse tied up outside the sprawling wooden hut. “Thank God,” she whispered. She slid down from her saddle and shakily tied her horse next to Ren’s before opening the door to the shack.
“Kat!” Ren sat in a pile of rotting clothing, but when he saw her, he struggled to his feet and threw his arms around her so tightly she couldn’t breathe. “You’re all right!”
She permitted it for a moment; after all, he’d been through a lot. Then she wheezed, “Need…air!”
He released her hastily, but grabbed her hands. “Kat, did you see that fellow?” he asked anxiously.
“Xian? No,” she began.
“Not Xian…it was some other fellow who called himself Chance. He saved my life, but then he said he was going to scout around and left me here. Good thing Brenin mentioned this place; I was afraid we’d miss each other somehow.” He grinned, but there was a hint of worry in the smile.
And that was when Kathryn noticed that his face was drawn with pain and his hug had left bloodstains on her riding pants. “Where are you wounded?” she asked sharply, fear rising in her throat.
“Oh, it’s just my leg.” He sat down again, his movements stiff. “I got hit with a crossbow bolt when I was-”
“What did you think you were doing?”
Brenin stood behind them in the doorway, his face red with anger and his good eye narrowed. “You fought them, didn’t you? You were just supposed to be scouting! You knew you were outnumbered!”
“I didn’t like to see them tramping all over Iridalys land!”
“You idiot, that’s not enough of a reason to try to get yourself killed!” Brenin’s veins were practically popping out of his neck as he leaned forward to yell at the younger man.
“They were trying to kill you both!” Ren burst out. “Of course I wanted to kill the lot of ’em!”
Brenin stood still for a moment. He said, “What did I tell you, boy? You can’t protect anyone if you get hurt.”
Ren flinched at the words and lowered his head.
He gasped in pain as he accidentally moved the wounded leg. Kathryn rushed to his side and reached for the bandage. “Let me see,” she began.
“You really don’t want to; there’s nothing we can do for it right now,” Ren interrupted. “Besides, Chance will be here soon, unless he’s going to betray us, of course.”
The blood soaking the bandage distracted her, and she couldn’t reply. He pulled off his coat to cover the leg. “It’s all right,” he said gently. “It’ll heal up. Now, do we have anything to eat? I’m seriously starving!”
Before she could reply, they heard a horse approaching outside. Ren snatched up his sword and struggled to his feet again, grunting with effort as he took his position in front of Kathryn. She reached to stop him. He was already wounded, and she wouldn’t let him get hurt again.
An unfamiliar but friendly voice called, “Hey, lovebirds! Are you decent?”
Ren rolled his eyes and sheathed the sword. “That’s him,” he said wryly. “Come on in, Chance!”
Chance entered the room and his eyes fell on Kathryn. “So, this is the little ex-princess who has the whole Navinorian army so riled up,” he remarked. Brenin glared at him, his body tense, clearly undecided whether to perceive him as a friend or a threat.
Kathryn didn’t speak for a moment as she studied the newcomer.
He doesn’t look familiar. That dagger on his belt, though…
Her eyes widened as the realization hit her. “Ren, draw your sword,” she said.
“What? Princess, I told you. This is-”
Kathryn drew the jeweled dagger concealed under her tunic, stepped forward, and pointed it directly at Chance’s face. “You have one just like this,” she said flatly, gesturing with her free hand at the dagger in his belt. “It’s from Illian. You work for him.”
The blood rushed to Ren’s face as he realized his initial suspicions had been correct.
Chance’s sly green eyes darted between them. At last he said calmly, “Yes, it’s true.”
Ren drew his sword, and Chance threw up his hands. “Wait! I’m not your enemy!”
“If you’re with Illian, you bet you are!” Ren snapped.
“Why did you save Ren?” Kathryn’s hand trembled slightly as she spoke. “What was your motivation?”
“Because that’s what I was ordered to do,” Chance said quietly. “Well, it was a little different than that, really. Your older brother seems to still have a bit of a protective streak in him, little ex-princess. I’m not totally sure why, and it’s not my business, to be honest. But he asked me to look after you.”
Ren dropped his sword, grabbed Chance by the collar, and slammed him against the wall. “You mean you were sent to kill her!”
“No! My goodness, you really are violent, aren’t you?” Chance gripped his wrists. “He doesn’t want her dead. Even though that would be the best thing for him, of course. He’s always been a bit odd; I certainly can’t tell what he’s thinking. But he had plenty of opportunities to kill you both, didn’t he? Now, let me go, will you?” He couldn’t budge Ren’s arm.
Kathryn watched in silence, her mind spinning.
Nothing good ever comes from Illian. What kind of game does he think he’s playing?
“Leave him, Ren. We’re going,” she said.
Ren tossed him away, and Chance staggered and fell to his knees. But as Kathryn and Ren headed for the door, he called after them, “If you do that, Ren is going to die, and you know it.”
Kathryn froze. Ren glared at Chance. “Don’t talk nonsense,” he snarled.
“You barely survived this time. But your wound is serious. You need medical attention at once. Plus, the Vipers poison their bolts. You knew that, didn’t you? I know of an herbalist; the best healer you’ll find for a hundred miles. Tell me, girl, are you prepared to sacrifice your bodyguard for your own ends? I suppose that wouldn’t be that far fetched for someone like you, but it’s hardly fair to him.”
Kathryn stared at him. She knew instinctively he was telling the truth, and the sight of Ren’s pale face and trembling hands filled her with terror.
Ren took an impulsive step towards Chance. “Listen, you little-”
“Ren, wait.” Kathryn put a restraining hand on Ren’s arm. “Where is the herbalist, Chance?”
“I’ll lead you to him. I’m not staying behind,” the man replied.
“I can make you tell us,” Ren retorted.
Chance shrugged. “Now, that I seriously doubt. You might have killed a few people, Ren, but you haven’t tortured anyone.” He took a step forward so his face was only a couple inches away from Ren’s. “Believe me, it’s not as easy as killing a stranger.” His green eyes were suddenly cold and dark.
Brenin stepped forward and grabbed Chance by the throat, lifting him into the air as he gasped for breath. Brenin said quietly, “I have tortured people. Many times. You think you’re strong, boy?”
“Wait, Brenin! He saved my life,” Ren interjected. Brenin didn’t even look at him.
Chance struggled and choked, his face turning purple and his feet kicking helplessly in the air.
Brenin’s eyes burned, but Kathryn caught his arm, her eyes fixed on this strange man who promised he could save Ren.
If it was me who was hurt, Ren would take the risk.
She said out loud, “All right. Take us to the healer.”
Brenin dropped Chance with a contemptuous look, and he fell to his knees, coughing and retching violently as he tried to catch his breath.
“Kat?” Ren took her by the arm and pulled her into the corner. “What do you think you’re doing?” he whispered. “If this is a trap-”
“I already made my decision. Besides, it occurred to me that we can use him to learn more about Illian,” she said quietly.
Ren frowned. “I don’t think he’d tell us that much. He’s probably very loyal.”
“He doesn’t seem the loyal type. And I don’t think Illian has told him a lot, which means Illian doesn’t trust him.” She glanced over at where Chance was pretending not to listen in. “He might have still picked up a few things, though. I’d say he could be a useful asset to have along. Besides, he did save your life.”
Ren considered that. “I suppose you’re right,” he said reluctantly. “But do we really have to leave right away?”
“We should get you to a healer as soon as possible, so of course,” she began.
“But I haven’t eaten,” Ren interrupted.
“I can cook,” Chance put in, struggling to his feet with a wide smile. His face was starting to return to its normal color.
Ren glared over at him. “You’d probably poison it.”
Chance spread his still-shaking hands innocently. “Poison is a nobleman’s weapon, and I’m just a commoner.”
“We don’t have time to cook,” Brenin retorted. “Xian will be combing the whole area; it’s only a matter of time until he finds this place.”
Ren grumbled, “If I’m going to die, I’d rather die fighting than starving to death.”
Kathryn chose to ignore him, but Chance seemed amused. “It’s hard to believe a kid like you fought with Xian on equal footing,” he remarked. “At least, almost equal footing until you fell off a cliff.”
“Who are you calling a kid?” Ren bristled. “You don’t look much older than me!”
“I’m 27,” Chance informed him.
“I don’t believe you!”
Kathryn sighed and put away her dagger. “All right, that’s enough arguing. Let’s go. And while we’re on our way, Chance, you can tell us why my brother gifted you the dagger.”
“Sure. I love telling stories,” Chance said cheerfully.
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