Blood-Bound [ Lore of Penrua: Book I ]

74

Eovin was coming toward them through the kneeling figures. He alone had not bent the knee. As he approached, Mhera saw an intensity she'd never seen before in his gentle face.

He mounted the steps. Uachi, still on his knees, reached for his dagger, but Mhera put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't," she said. "It's the lorekeeper—a friend."

Eovin pulled Matei into a fierce hug. He was openly weeping.

Matei returned the embrace. As he lowered his head to rest it on Eovin's shoulder, the light began to fade, and Mhera could once again see the man he was.

"I should have told you," Eovin was saying in a harsh whisper. "A thousand times, I should have told you. I nearly lost you, and you never knew."

Matei pulled back and looked up into the lorekeeper's face.

"My son," Eovin said. He put his hands on Matei's cheeks. "My son."

Recognition dawned in Matei's eyes. It was a painful and beautiful thing to see. "Eovin?"

"I loved her more than my own life."

Matei said nothing. There was wonder in his expression—wonder and pain. He put a hand on Eovin's cheek, looking at him as if he'd never seen him before. The men embraced again, and neither of them spoke.

"Mhera," said Uachi. "Come down."

She turned and saw Uachi standing at her shoulder, his hand extended. She searched his face. There was no malice there now; there was respect in his eyes. She placed her hand in his and followed him down the steps of the platform, still not quite able to understand all that had happened.

"Mhera!"

Someone fell into her arms. She staggered, but put her arms around the familiar figure. "Aun, what are you doing here?"

"We couldn't stay behind," she said. "As many of us as we could, we brought. We couldn't leave you to ... to do it alone."

"You meant to fight for us?" Mhera pulled back from Aun, touching her face. "Aun."

"No," said Uachi from over her shoulder. "We expected to let it unfold as it would, as you both asked us to. But that one-armed princeling ... he turned the tide."

Kaori. Mhera turned from the two rebels and scanned the palace steps. Most of the folk who had been there were nowhere in evidence. Koren was gone, along with his wife and child. But Gella was still there, bent over the slumped form of the wounded prince. Mhera began to run. "Kaori!"

Gella stepped back from the prince's chair, turning as Mhera approached. "He needs help, my lady," she said. "Look—he is so weak."

Mhera touched Kaori's brow. It felt cool under her hand. She cried out for Aun, but the healer was only a step behind her. "We must take him someplace where he can rest, and I need access to your medicines," she said.

"I'll see that you have it. You!" Gella beckoned to a guard who stood vacillating on the steps. "Bring some others and take your prince within! Now!"

The weight of a hand on her shoulder caused Mhera to turn round. It was the lorekeeper, still freely weeping.

"Master Eovin—" she breathed. He pulled her into a tight embrace before she could say anything more, which was just as well, because there was nothing to say. There was only relief—relief beyond measure. Over his shoulder, she saw Matei, who had suffered the very worst of the world and had finally come home.

"Come inside," said Eovin. "We must see to the resolution of all of this. Where is Koren?"

Gella shook her head. "He took his wife and child and fled, my lord. I know not where they went."