C H A P T E R 7
Tashti shook off the vision and bolted from the room. Her instincts told her she had bare minutes to stop the shadowy figure. She recognized the tower as a small one attached to the Herald's wing and again her instinct warned her the figure was already in the tower and the door was barred to prevent rescue.
She ran to the nearest room, pulled off her boots and climbed out the window. She scaled the wall to the first window that looked in on the stairs that spiralled up the tower. She pulled herself in the small window and took the stairs two at a time, her bare feet making no sound.
The figure didn't hear her and had already opened the door. She heard the Queen yell as she burst out onto the roof. She didn't pause but grabbed the assailant and pulled him off Selenay. Tashti noted some blood on Selenay's tunic but didn't stop to make certain she was all right.
The other assassin had regained his balance and had his knife at the ready. Tashti was unarmed. Tashti dodged out of the wicked slice aimed at her torso. He seemed to pull up a bit when he saw who had come to the rescue. Tashti recognized him at the same moment.
The world of professional killers was relatively small and they had met four years earlier. Olane had been a friend for years. Tashti knew he wouldn't surrender a target for anyone, it was a matter of professional pride for him. He was damned good too.
"I am sorry Silk." He said.
Tashti kept herself between him and Selenay. "So am I."
He lunged and Tashti barely dodged. Tashti tried to Reach to her room to Fetch a weapon but couldn't focus enough of her attention on it to succeed.
Tashti felt a familiar coldness seep into her veins. Her world narrowed to the small roof, the blade, Olane, and the queen. The sounds of people trying to break down the door below didn't even reach her.
The Queen thankfully stayed behind Tashti, watching horrified.
Olane managed to slice deep into her left shoulder and chest but she didn't feel the pain. She managed to grab his arm and twist hard enough that he dropped the blade.
Fear crept into his eyes and he landed a hard blow on her cheek snapping her head to the side.
Tashti fell back and kicked the knife out of the way. The Queen had taken the chance to run down the stairs to unbar the door.
"We don't have to fight." Olane cajoled. "Just stand aside."
"No." Tashti lashed a foot out and caught him in the side. As he doubled over involuntarily she snagged the knife. "I know you will never stop. I can't let you kill my Queen."
Tashti slashed and caught him across the chest and cut deeply.
She was standing near the edge of the roof with only a short wall between her and the ground several stories below. Olane lunged forward and she stepped into him. The knife sank between his ribs to the hilt.
"I'm sorry." She said as she lowered him to the roof.
Blood fleck foam appeared at the corner of his mouth. His face was white as snow.
Tashti heard people running up the stairs. "It was the only way it could have ended." She said.
"Why?" He wheezed.
"Valdemar is my country, it is my duty to protect it from everyone, even friends." Tashti explained. Her emotions came flooding back now that the crisis had passed. Her Healing gift urged her to heal the damage as best she could but she forced herself to keep her hands clenched at her sides.
"You're a Herald." He said weakly. "Imagine that."
A Herald she didn't know knelt beside her. "It hit his lung." He said.
"I know." Tashti said softly. "I am sorry it came to this, Ollie."
He coughed as his lung filled with blood. "Better to die fighting a worthy opponent than to fall to an idiot's blade." He quoted.
Someone pulled her away. She tried to resist but she was growing weak from loss of blood.
"Calm down." Aeric said softly.
Tashti felt tears coursing down her cheeks. She turned into his chest and buried her face in his tunic.
He lifted her and carried her carefully down the winding stairs. Selenay was waiting for her.
"Is she alright?" She demanded.
"She's injured." Aeric set her in a chair.
Selenay's sleeve had been ripped off and a makeshift bandage wrapped around her wound. She removed her tunic and offered it do Aeric to use to staunch the blood flowing from the wound across her chest and shoulder. He used a knife to slice away the blood caked tunic and shirt.
The world around her was starting to feel very unreal.
"It's deep." Aeric told the gathered Heralds.
:Hold on heart sister.: Cryni called her.
"I will." She promised.
"Tashti, listen, does he use poisons?" Aeric asked.
"No. He doesn't like them."
Selenay held her right hand tightly.
Finally a Healer fought through the Heralds to her. He was the last thing Tashti saw before the world faded away.
~ * ~
"Come on. Open your eyes." A voice demanded in the distance.
Tashti slowly opened her eyes. The white room was filled with Heralds all looking at her anxiously. Aeric was squeezing her hand tightly.
"Damn." She cursed. "I'm back at the Healer's."
Everyone laughed as the tension in the room relaxed.
"We couldn't save the assassin." The queen told her sadly. "I know he was your friend."
"If he hadn't died, we would still have to kill him. He never stops." Tashti nodded and tried to sit up.
Someone shoved some pillows up behind her back.
"You have been out for a few days. The Healers were worried for a while." Kero commented. "Very inconvenient when we want answers."
Tashti laughed, her strength returning quickly. "Can I have a drink before I am interrogated?"
A mug of water was given to her and she drained it quickly.
"How did you know to go to the Tower?" Selenay asked.
"I had a Premonition." Tashti said simply. "That was the first time it has ever been more than a strong hunch. If you don't mind me saying, you were very careless, Your Majesty."
Selenay, Elspeth, and Kero grinned.
"My turn to ask a question. When can I leave?"
"In a few days." Aeric assured her.
"How did you know the assassin?" Kero asked.
"He was a friend." Tashti's throat tightened. "He would never stop until either he or his target was dead. I had to kill him."
"I am sorry you had to be the one to kill him." Selenay tried to sooth her.
"He understood." Tashti said. "He said it was better to die facing a worthy opponent that to fall to an idiot's blade. I told him that Valdemar was my country and it was my duty to protect it from everyone." She paused to wipe the tears from her eyes. "Even from friends."
"That's enough, you are upsetting her." A healer tried to shoo the Heralds out.
"Let them stay." Tashti pleaded. "I am fine."
The Healer looked sceptical for a moment. "You need to rest."
"I will rest when I get out of here and not a moment before." Tashti countered. "This place is too… subdued for me." She couldn't think of any other way to describe the feeling of being wrapped in cotton away from the world. "Even better, let me out and we will all leave. I promise I won't do anything strenuous for at least a week."
The healer wavered.
"A fortnight?" Tashti bargained.
"Very well, but don't even walk for a week." The healer compromised.
"Fine." Tashti agreed eagerly. "Aeric, would you mind carrying me to my room?"
Aeric carefully lifted her, blankets and all. "I doubt there is enough space in your room for everyone. Perhaps mine would be a better choice."
Tashti grinned like a fool. "Wonderful."
Someone chuckled as the group made their way across the courtyard.
"I am not too heavy, am I?" She asked.
"A little thing like you? Not for such a strong fellow like Aeric." Elspeth teased.
Aeric soon placed Tashti on his bed. The crowd of Heralds perched on almost every surface. Tashti finally managed to count twelve Heralds, only a few of which she knew.
"Is there a reason for so many people?" Tashti asked after Aeric sat beside her.
"We have some other questions we want to ask." One she didn't know said.
"We only have bits and pieces of knowledge and we were hoping you could fill in the rest of the picture." Kero explained.
"Like who you are, where you learned to climb like that, where you learned to fight, and the rest of your life story." A man with bright red hair said.
Tashti shook her head. "It is to dark of a story for such a beautiful day. Suffice to say, I am now Trainee Tashti and someday Herald Tashti. I will give every drop of blood and use every ability I have to keep Valdemar safe."
The Heralds looked like they were going to argue.
"She's right. We all have our secrets and we all have the right to keep them." Selenay said stopping any further questions. "She is tired and deserves her rest."
The Heralds took the hint and filed out leaving only Aeric, Tashti, and the Queen in the room.
"I heard him call you Silk. If what I think that means is true, you have more tricks than we have seen. I don't expect you tell us the whole truth but someday I would like to hear your tale."
"Someday soon." Tashti promised. "I meant what I said, it is a dark tale and I don't want to mar the day. I think it would be easier to tell in the dark."
Selenay nodded and left them alone.
Tashti moved over carefully so as not to jolt her shoulder and patted the mattress next to her. "You look as drawn as I feel."
Aeric kicked off his boots and stretched out next to her. "You have no idea what it was like watching you lay there unmoving."
"I do know." Tashti reminded him. "I am an Empath."
"I'd ask you not to get injured again but I know you wouldn't be able to keep it." Aeric pulled her close, mindful of her shoulder.
"I have ample motivation to stay hale and whole. What am I going to do for a week?" Tashti asked plaintively.
Aeric laughed. "I am certain we can think of something."
Lyra burst into the room after only a perfunctory knock. "Are you really alright Tashti?" She demanded.
Tashti sat up. "I am fine."
Lyra had lost all her ten-year-old dignity in her eagerness to see her friend. She climbed on the bed and sat with her back against the footboard. "Mom won't tell me what happened. She just said you got hurt."
Tashti pulled her nightgown collar down to show the row of neat stitches. "There was a bit of a tussle but I am fine. If I hadn't been so foolish this wouldn't have happened."
Lyra leaned forward to examine the wound. "Does it hurt?"
"A bit. But no more than expected." Tashti assured her.
"When are you going to go back to class?" Lyra sat back assured Tashti was telling the truth.
"In about a week. The healers want me to take it easy."
"Right, you do nothing for a week." Lyra snorted.
"I'll make certain she takes it easy." Aeric winked at the small princess. "Even if I have to tie her to the bed."
:You would like that.: Tashti teased him. "I will be just fine."
"I'll help. I can bring her books and stuff." Lyra said eagerly. "Are you hungry now? I can go get a meal from Mero. Or I can get you a book from the library."
"You can get the blue bag that hangs on my bed post and a night gown." Tashti accepted the offer.
Lyra bounced off the bed and ran out of the room.
"What's in this blue bag?"
"My embroidery. I need something to keep my hands busy." Tashti explained. "And this gown is itchy."
Aeric laughed at her grimace. "You love soft fabrics, don't you?"
"Of course. I love the feel against my skin. The way they move with every movement."
"Hedonist." He teased.
"Found them." Lyra burst in with her arms full. She dumped her load on the bed. There were several nightgowns, two small books, a flute and harp, and the small blue bag.
"Thanks."
"I got to go. I have to get back to class." Lyra ran back out.
"She is a darling." Tashti grinned. "Would you mind helping me out of this thing." She started to pull off her nightgown.
Aeric pulled the nightgown over her head. He stopped to look at the wound. Olane's blade had been sharp and bit deep into her flesh. It was too close to her throat for him to be comfortable.
"It will heal." Tashti said softly. She took his hand and placed it on the wound. "See, it isn't infected."
"You should have gotten out of the way." Aeric ran his fingertips over the area.
"I needed to get close to disarm him." Tashti explained. "I swear I will never go unarmed again."
"I should hope not."
Tashti needed a little help getting the new nightgown over her head. It was made of a soft, worn flannel.
"Don't you have duties to get back to?" Tashti asked when she sensed he was struggling with something. "I'll still be here when you get back."
"I am Queen's bodyguard at court this afternoon." Aeric admitted.
"You better get going then. You have to change still."
Aeric reluctantly left her side and changed into his formal Whites. "I'll bring you some supper when I return. It shouldn't be too late."
"I'll be fine. Now go or you'll be late."
Aeric kissed her warmly and left.
:Do you remember that day you went riding with the Queen and the twins? I asked you if Valdemar is worth it. You said to ask again in a year. Can you answer me now?: Cryni asked suddenly.
"Yes. It is worth it." Tashti answered with out hesitation.