Unraveling Stories - Chapter 5

<-Chapter 4

"The loneliness of the past, the tomorrow of yesterday."

 

While Kyle took Ophelia's body to a place to be held until a proper burial could be done, Tyrian went to see the soldiers that had been captured from the Imperial Army. Cassie and Liang accompanied him, both concerned with how he had pulled further into himself. Marian tended to the wounded, but it was clear that she too had been deeply shaken. There was no one who hadn't been affected.

The soldiers were being held in the barracks under close guard by Rebellion soldiers. As Tyrian surveyed the room and the faces, he realized that most of them were barely older than his age and the rest were younger. They may well be new recruits. His father had severely underestimated the Rebellion. "Any trouble?" he asked one of the guards quietly.

"No, Lord Tyrian." The guard shook her head. "They've been amazingly quiet. Maybe they sense the precarious balance."

He walked further into the room. "I'm Tyrian Southerwind," he began, "and I would appear to be the leader of the Rebellion. I'm here to offer you a choice. You can join us, or you can go home. The fight is over. We're not going to kill you in cold blood. If you want to fight us again, however," he added mildly, "then all bets are off."

"Why did you join the Rebellion?" one soldier asked. "You betrayed your Empire and your father."

"Because my Empire betrayed its people. Have any of you talked to your families lately? Do you even know what they are suffering? Teasarn is just an example of the ways that the Emperor is choking his people to death." Tyrian stepped forward and lifted his chin. "I'm not standing by. I refuse to. I'm going to change things. If the Emperor won't listen to reason, then maybe it's time we had a different sort of government."

A little chill went down Liang's back. He had never heard Tyrian so eloquent, had never realized those thoughts were inside him. More still, he saw then something he had never seen before. That glitter in Tyrian's eyes, that indomitable spirit . . . it was the mark of a hero. Liang knew it for sure. In Tyrian's eyes was the glitter of a leader who would do whatever it took to protect his people and his land.

Silence reigned for a long while and then the soldiers began to remove their Imperial jackets. They pulled off the badges from their hats and dropped them on the floor. Then, as one, they all knelt. "You have our loyalty, Lord Tyrian," one said clearly. "We'll follow you to the end."

"Why?" Tyrian asked.

One soldier straightened up as a half-smile twisted his lips. "We're all from small towns too. We had heard rumors but never seen what was really going on. We want to fight for our families and for you."

Tyrian turned to the guards at the door. "See that they are given new clothes and any wounds are treated. We're going to be tight for space for now, but I'll look into obtaining a real place of operation. We can't hide under the streets forever."

"Yes sir."

He headed down another hall, very conscious of the fact that he was still being followed. "Are you going to do this all the time?" he asked on a sigh. "Because I'm fairly sure that it's going to become very vexing."

Cassie and Liang looked at one another for long moments. Liang leaned down to murmur something in Cassie's ear and she nodded. With a smile, he then turned and went the other way down the hall.

Tyrian lifted a brow at Cassie. She shrugged one shoulder. "There's no need to think you need two bodyguards while within our own base. Liang is going to go see how Kyle and Ewan are doing. They and Dylan knew Ophelia the longest."

"If it's safe, why have you stayed with me?" he asked. He turned the corner and found himself looking at his mother, housed in a holding cell. His shoulders tensed.

She softly wrapped her hands around his. "Because you need me. I'm not going to let you break, Tyrian."

He took a deep breath. Oddly, knowing that she was there was enough. Every time he thought he stood at the edge of a precipice, she was there to gently draw him back. Back straight, he walked over to where two guards stood on duty. "Any trouble?" he asked as calmly as he could.

"No, Lord Tyrian. She's been very quiet. Should we leave to give you some privacy?"

"Don't go far though," he agreed.

The two guards moved down the hall to be out of sound but not out of sight. When they had, he stepped in front of the metal grate that served as a cell wall and door. "So," he said evenly. "How does it feel to be a murderess?"

Annareal looked at him in horror. "But I was told . . . !" She sealed her lips shut.

"Told what?" When there was no answer, he added coldly, "I have no reason to treat you with mercy or kindness when you cold-bloodedly snuck into this base and attempted to kill children. You did, in fact, kill a woman I considered to be much like a sister to me though I knew her a short time."

Tears began to roll down her face. She had never seen her son like this. She hadn't wanted to believe he could be like this. "I was told," she whispered, "that if you joined the Rebellion, you would be destroyed. And I see I was right. You're not the Tyrian I knew."

"No, I'm not. Watching my mother commit murder had a strong impact on me."

"It wasn't murder!" She leapt to her feet, fury in her eyes. "I thought I was protecting you!"

"Yeah," he said evenly. "I was in real danger from a bunch of children. If you had been just after Ophelia, then you had no reason to be in that room. You should have taken the fight out, or called her out for a duel. She'd have responded. Instead, you forced a dozen children to witness the death of someone they loved. You went after them on purpose so that she would make herself vulnerable. They'll never forget that moment. I will never forget that moment."

There was movement from the shadows, and Kyle stepped forward. His blue eyes looked dark and volatile with grief and fury. A faint tremor shook his entire body. "Let me kill her," he told Tyrian. "Let me have my vengeance."

Tyrian was silent for so long that Annareal lost all color in her face. Finally, Tyrian turned to Kyle. He gently wrapped a hand around Kyle's wrist, staying him before he drew his sword. "No," he said quietly, "because it will do nothing for your pain. If I thought you would feel better, I would open the door right now and look away. But it won't. Killing her right now will make you a murderer as well, Kyle, and I will not see you suffer in that way. It won't bring Ophelia back."

Kyle's eyes closed and he dropped his head on Tyrian's shoulder. Tears slid soundlessly down his cheeks. "I know," he agreed softly.

Tyrian glanced at Cassie who nodded slightly. He then looked at the woman who had given birth to him. "You will be escorted back to Trinan. Feel free to tell them you killed Ophelia. But also feel free to tell them that I will bring the Rebellion to victory. Not just for Ophelia's sake, but for the people." A chill smile curved his lips. "I had already been made second-in-command before the battle began." He gently put an arm around Kyle's shoulders and escorted him away from the area.

Cassie walked over to the grate and studied Annareal. "It sickens me," the monk noted quietly, "that you could hurt your son like this. I don't care what you thought you were doing. It was wrong, and you know it." She pulled up her hood and wrapped her scarf around her face to effectively obscure her appearance. "I will escort you personally, Lady Annareal. And it won't take much of an excuse for me to take the vengeance that we all so dearly wish for. Monks live by a different code than the Commune."

As they walked down the hall, Tyrian said quietly, "I'm sorry, Kyle."

"I don't blame you, Tyrian." Kyle drew a deep breath that came out ragged at the end. "It was always a possibility that one of us might die for this Rebellion. But . . . it just doesn't seem real that this has actually happened. It hurts."

"I know." They were the same height, so it was easy for Tyrian to again put an arm around his shoulders in support. "I'm up to three people that I loved dying."

"Three?"

Darkness moved in Tyrian's eyes. "Ben was the first. Then Ophelia. And my mother is dead as well. When she drew a sword against innocent children, she died in my mind."

Kyle remained silent for long moments. "Are we really going to fight for freedom?" he finally asked quietly.

"Yes." Tyrian released him as they reached the meeting room. "And we're going to get it." He walked into the room with his head held high. "Cassie is escorting Annareal back to the capitol. We have one hundred new soldiers in our army, so we're on our way to having a second unit."

As he sat down, Ewan said, "Well, the townspeople stand behind us. We've been checking, but there's not a single person who doesn't support us. However, I'm concerned about their safety. We have to spread out somehow, but if we leave the town unprotected, then people will very likely be killed."

"I was thinking of that myself." The green-eyed warrior frowned thoughtfully. "We need a base. Something big enough to hold everyone we might possibly need to house, but something that is still defendable."

"Well," Dylan offered, "there's an abandoned castle a few days' journey from here. It was once the seat of the Empire, but when it was moved to Trinan, the castle was completely abandoned. If I remember legend right, it withstood a five-day siege from Foresalia over a hundred years ago."

"Isn't it in the middle of a nasty lake?" Liang asked warily.

"Nasty how?" Marian wondered.

"Nasty as in full of very cranky monsters," was Kell's dry explanation. Though still pale from losing blood, the old informant was well on the way to recovery even though the use of his cane was more practical than prop right then.

Tyrian sighed. He had nothing against the monsters of the world; they were more vexing than threatening for any seasoned warrior. They just served to stand as a constant reminder that the world was still being punished for events of more than a million years prior. When the gods handed down punishment, they didn't mess around.

"Well, we've got a solid group of fighters." If anyone noticed that Kyle's knuckles were white where his hands gripped together, no one said anything. "Tyrian, Cassie, I, Marian, and Liang can go check out the castle and try to drive off the monsters. Ewan and Dylan can stay here to keep things in line. If we get the castle, we can move everyone there."

Cassie suddenly stepped out of the shadows. She also startled Ewan who jolted so hard he almost sent his cup of coffee flying. "Wear a bell!" he demanded in aggravation.

"As I told Tyrian, that would defeat the purpose." She looked at Tyrian and then immediately crossed to him. She took his hand gently. His fingers gripped hers tightly though his expression didn't change.

A bit warily, Liang said, "You weren't gone long enough to escort Lady Annareal back to Trinan."

The smile that curved Cassie's lips looked chilling. "I left her halfway. She can walk the rest. If she gets eaten by monsters, it's not our business."

Kyle's eyes shot to Tyrian. His expression hadn't changed, but Kyle had started to understand him very, very well. The amount of emotion the slightly younger man pulled out of everyone seemed almost shocking, yet it was a two-way street because Tyrian clearly cared just as strongly for them in return. With that emotion came understanding. "You stopped me on purpose."

"It's not our fault if she can't hold her own in the wild and that Cassie was needed here with me more than she was needed out there." Tyrian kept his voice neutral. "I showed more mercy than most people would."

And it was cutting him inside. Ewan's eyes met Dylan's in understanding. Carefully, the former said, "Why don't we get some rest before we set out for the castle tomorrow morning? It's been a bitch of a day."

"I'd rather get drunk," muttered Kyle.

"We can do that too," Ewan agreed amiably. He dragged Kyle up out of his chair and shoved him at the door. "Let's see if we can get you to sing like a canary again. Dylan, you coming?"

"I don't sing," the other man said dryly.

"No, but you tell great jokes. Let's go."

"Kyle will be fine," Kell said quietly. "Ewan knows how to handle him. It's a repayment in a way. They've been through one hell together. Kyle helped Ewan pull out. So now he'll help Kyle."

"The Commune of the Soldiers?" Marian guessed softly.

"So I suspect. I don't have all the info." He got to his feet carefully. "Ugh. These old bones are indeed old." He brushed off Liang and Marian when they moved to help him. "I'm old not incapacitated," he groused, waving his cane threateningly.

"Do you want me to go so you can talk?" Cassie asked Tyrian softly.

"No." He brought her hand to his cheek. "I need you to stay close." A bit shakily, he admitted, "I'm about ready to fall apart."

She leaned down to wrap her arms around his shoulders. "I won't let you," she vowed softly. She looked at Marian and Liang who seemed completely at ease with the scene. "You've been amazingly . . . accepting of me."

Slowly, Marian said, "Based on the fact that we've known Tyrian his entire life, we know his mind and ways. So what we see here isn't surprising. It's almost expected, somehow. I feel as if I always knew he'd meet you."

"And," Liang said softly, "I want to apologize, Lady Cassie. I did not mean to infer earlier that you were incapable of protecting Lord Tyrian properly. I have protected him his entire life. So in my mind, the fact that I was not there was all I considered."

Cassie inclined her head in acknowledgment of the apology. "I apologize as well about being touchy. Monks are far too often seen as untrustworthy because we keep so many secrets of our skills and cities. It cut that you did not trust me with Tyrian."

He smiled. "I fully believe you are capable and willing to protect him."

She glanced down to see Tyrian tapping a finger on the top of the table even though his face revealed nothing. "You mean protect him when he can't protect himself?"

Liang's eyes flicked to Tyrian's hand and a smile curved his lips. She did indeed know Tyrian very well after a short time. "Precisely." His smile faded as he let out a quiet breath. "I can't believe all of this is happening, that everything is changing so quickly."

Marian laid her head on top of the table and closed her eyes. "It seems so unfair! Do . . . do you think Ben's death had anything to do with all of this? If he hadn't died, we wouldn't have come here when we did. We might have ended up being enemies with Lady Ophelia and Cassie."

Tyrian didn't respond, but his mind turned over and over again about the 'curse' he had supposedly broken on Ben and Ophelia. He knew the words were from the language of magic, and he was fairly sure it had to do with some relic somewhere. It had been after he said it to Ben that he began to pick up mannerisms of someone wearing a relic, and at thirteen, despite his great capacity, he had been entirely too uncomfortable to fuse a relic at all. Now, having said the same phrase to Ophelia, he could feel the skin of his right hand burning.

Someone knocked softly on the door, and he glanced over to see a young soldier standing there. "Pardon the intrusion," she said softly. "But a messenger pigeon just arrived with a note for Lord Tyrian." She walked over and held out the paper.

"Thank you." Tyrian took the note and unrolled it. He recognized his father's handwriting immediately. The note was simple and to the point: She made it back. In a murmur, he said, "Never gives away anything. I have no way of knowing what he feels about this, or if he even cares."

The soldier cleared her throat and drew Tyrian's attention. "Lord Tyrian, I just want to let you know, on behalf of everyone, that we believe in you. We know you won't let us down." She gave a little salute and left the room.

Tyrian took a quiet breath and then crumbled the note and threw it over his shoulder. Cassie released him and he got to his feet. "I'm going to try and sleep." Without waiting for anyone to say anything, he turned and walked out of the room with his back more stiff than straight.

Silence fell and then Marian said idly, "He likes brandy."

Cassie shot her a quick look but the other woman was studiously picking at a piece of broken wood on the table. Her eyes flicked to Liang who feigned an absorbed interest in a painting on the wall. Suddenly realizing it was acceptance, she got to her feet. "I better go make sure Ewan doesn't drink everything."

She left the room, and Liang and Marian shared a smile.

Cassie found Kyle, Dylan, and Ewan sitting together at a table in the galley, and all of them were drinking. Dylan was on his way to being drunk and Kyle had already gotten there. Catching the tail end of a decidedly bawdy joke, she felt glad she didn't blush easily. After a study of Ewan, she realized that despite his enthusiastic response to the joke, he was very, very sober.

She walked over to the table, and under the pretext of inspecting the glass, she took a sniff of his drink. It was tea carefully doctored to look like liquor. R.K. played bartender not far away, and she watched as he covertly poured three drinks from two different bottles. "Well?" she asked Ewan softly.

He took his glass back from her, his brown eyes guileless as he saluted her lightly. "Someone needs to make sure he doesn't break his neck when we're done here."

"You're a good man, Ewan Grizmar," she murmured.

"Shh. I have a reputation to uphold."

She smiled and went over to R.K. "Got any brandy hiding back there?"

He ducked under the counter and began rummaging through bottles. "Somewhere, I think. We need a bartender." He came up and held out the bottle. "I didn't know you drank." Something suddenly began to twinkle in his eyes. "Or is this our leader's drink of choice?" When she averted her eyes, he whistled softly. "Nice."

She snatched the bottle out of his hand and turned and stalked out. Everyone was a smartass. Knowing her luck, they would probably start a betting pool. Just because she was attracted to Tyrian didn't mean she would fall in bed with him. Well, okay, it kind of did, but it wasn't quite that simple. She was in love with him, and that was a whole new level of trouble. If she had a single working brain cell, she would turn and walk away, go back to the Clans, and have them send someone else.

But when she opened his door slightly and saw him sitting on the side of his bed with his head in his hands, every thought of leaving disappeared. She walked over and sat down beside him. She set the bottle aside and then gently smoothed his hair back from his face. "Tyrian?" she asked softly.

"There was a time when I thought my life was going to be simple." He didn't look up. "There was a time where I thought that my life would be easy. I'd go to Trinan. I'd become a soldier and then I'd become a general. I'd follow in my father's footsteps. Nice and simple and tidy."

"Life isn't simple." She pulled his hands away from his face so that he was forced to look at her. "I wanted simple, too, after my parents died. But it just doesn't work that way."

He looked at her for long moments and then straightened up. He wanted to ask about her family and her history, but he didn't. He could sense pain under the surface. The last thing he ever wanted was to hurt her. Instead, his gaze fell on the bottle. A brow lifted. "You want to get me drunk and take advantage of me?"

She pondered that for long moments. Long enough that his lips began to curve. Seeing it, she finally said, "No, I don't think so. But I'm willing to share a drink with you if you want to pretend for a little while that the world doesn't exist."

"How's Kyle?" He spotted two glasses sitting next to a pitcher of water and retrieved them.

"Telling jokes that would make even your hair curl. But when he pauses for a breath, there's something in his eyes. Hopefully he'll pass out soon. Even more hopefully, he and Dylan won't have hangovers tomorrow morning."

"If they do, Marian knows several cures."

She quirked a brow as she poured the brandy into the two glasses. "Are we intimately acquainted with them?"

He gave her a little salute with his glass. "Ben and I decided to experiment when I was sixteen. To say we never did it again would be an understatement. Of course, Marian laughing at us didn't help."

"I've never been drunk," she informed him gravely.

"Really?"

"Really. Part of the monk code. You don't give away your control to outside influences. Alcohol is the biggest item on the list." She sipped the brandy and wrinkled her nose. "Bleh." She set the glass aside. "On the bright side, I don't like the taste, so I don't miss much."

"Like me and most vegetables."

"You don't like vegetables?"

"Ones grown in the ground at least."

"And this is because . . . ?"

"My illustrious mentor decided to tell me a scary story when I was much younger. It involved someone being buried alive, and when they died, they turned into vegetables. The person who ate the vegetables would get possessed."

"And your mom doesn't know why you suddenly run screaming from carrots and potatoes."

"I wouldn't say I ran screaming." He shot her a grin. "It was more that I hid under my bed and had to be pried out. Liang tried to tell me it was just a story, but it didn't help. To this day, I get a chill. If I eat them, they have to be well hidden."

Gravely, she said, "Let us hope the Imperial Army doesn't decide to dress like potatoes before they attack."

"If they do, I'm letting Ewan and Kyle turn them into mashed potatoes. I bet it would be therapeutic."

She tried not to, but the mental image broke her resistance and she began to snicker. She had never realized he had this playful side hidden under the seriousness of his nature. It was highly alluring. She teasingly eyed his nearly empty glass. "You're not the type to get drunk on a single brandy, right?"

"Not hardly." He finished what was left of his drink and tossed the glass to the side. Before she could blink, he caught her in his arms and dragged her across his lap so that she sprawled against him.

Her pulse began to pound. Breathless, she stared up at his face. Only a few candles lit the room. In the flickering light, his face was more beautiful than she had ever seen. His eyes glowed softly with green flecks amid darkness, and she wanted him more than she wanted air. "Tyrian," she managed to whisper.

He lowered his lips without hurry to hers. He softly teased her lips as his hands smoothed slowly up and down her back. She felt so good in his arms. It took all his willpower to not kiss her at every turn. Just looking at her made him burn.

A shiver went through her entire body. She wound her arms around his neck and pressed upward to deepen the kiss. His hands, where they pressed against her back, burned through the layers of her clothes. His right hand was the hottest and made her skin tingle with sheer delight. Every place their bodies touched was pure, torturous, pleasure, but he kept the kiss stubbornly gentle.

Shaking, he finally eased back a breath. His fingers had curled into her clothes and he forced himself to let go. He wanted nothing more than to rip the offending material from her body. She was stark and imposing and beautiful in monk wear, but he wanted her naked in his arms so he could see every inch. "I have never," he said roughly, "wanted anything more than I want you."

"You can have me." The words were out before she could stop them. When she saw his eyes flare with raw desire, she realized just how precariously he held onto his control. "You stopped for my sake."

"You think I stopped for mine?" He buried his mouth against her neck and drew her even closer until she sat on his lap. He hotly trailed hungry kisses down her collar to the edge of her tunic. The tempting swell of her breasts teased and seduced underneath. "Unless you want me to tear this off you right now, you need to stop me."

The sheer fact that he could make the offer to stop when she could feel his throbbing arousal pressed against her was impressive. She felt hot and empty, as hungry for his flesh as he was for hers. But something inside . . . wasn't ready. Her eyes closed. "Tyrian."

He pressed his face to her neck for long moments and then carefully released her. She got off his lap but he didn't move. His hands dropped to his sides. "That damnable monk control issue," he finally said, true humor in the words.

"Do you think that's my problem?" she asked softly. "I want you so badly, Tyrian."

He sucked in a breath. "Kindly don't say that, especially right now."

Her gaze lowered toward his lap. "Oh."

"Oh, she says." He fell over on his back and threw an arm across his eyes. "I'm going to go insane. I know I am." He let out a hard breath. "I think I need a shower."

"The water's always cold," she told him. His green eyes flicked to her, smoldering and volatile. "Oh," she said again. She cleared her throat. The idea of a cold shower sounded rather appealing to her as well. He wasn't the only one on the edge of insane. "I think I'd better leave."

His hand shot out and wrapped around her wrist. "No," he pleaded softly. He sat up. "Please. Stay with me."

The lost note of pain in his voice broke her heart. She had made him forget for a little while, but her inability to be his lover meant that when passion cooled, his mind began working again. If she couldn't give him the most basic comfort of her body, yet, then she could at least offer this. She pressed her hand to his cheek softly. "I will. I promise. I'm not going to make you be alone."

He turned his head to press his lips to her palm. "We should sleep." He studied her clothes. "Can you sleep in that?"

"Comfortably?" she asked dryly.

"That would be a no." He got to his feet and began to unlace his tunic. "Here. You can use this. It's borrowed anyway."

Her mouth went dry as he pulled the tunic off. He was so outrageously perfect that it seemed a crime to even think he wore shirts. Every muscle was sculpted and defined from a lifetime of training. Golden from the sun, too, indicative that he was often outside without a shirt. And where the hell had she been when he was, she wondered crossly at herself. She had been working in various cities since she was fifteen. She had passed both Teasarn and Trinan more than once.

He suddenly pulled her up to her feet. Heart pounding, she wondered what he would think if she started petting and kissing him everywhere. Her body swayed unconsciously toward him but he held her back. His voice strained, he said, "Cassie? You're killing me here."

She got a grip on herself. "Sorry." She took the tunic from him and watched as he swiftly went to the bed and pulled back the covers. He got under them and then pulled the pillow over his face. She had a feeling it was more for his own control than her potential shyness.

She wasted no time in stripping down to her underwear and pulling on the tunic. It covered her more than decently and would be vastly more comfortable for sleeping. Under her breath, she muttered, "I've seen half naked men my entire life. What is wrong with me?" She slid into bed beside him.

"Do you feel more than attraction for me?" he asked as he pulled off the pillow. He fiercely ignored the way the tunic dipped open over her breasts. She was outrageously perfect; all soft curves and fragrant shadows.

"Of course I do."

"Then there's your answer." He turned onto his side and drew her closer with an arm around her waist. "Cuddle in. Save some time. Sure as hell you'd end up here even in your sleep."

She couldn't argue with that. She cuddled in with a soft sigh, and her head found a perfect spot on his shoulder to rest. The utter rightness of being held by him sank into every corner of her heart and soul. Suddenly tired, she could barely keep her eyes open. "I've never slept with anyone before," she murmured. "It's nice."

He went very still. "Never . . . At all? Ever?"

"Never." She tucked her nose more firmly against him. He smelled rich and dark and wild. "Never wanted to before." She gave a nearly jaw-breaking yawn. Her arms curled around him to give as much as receive comfort. "Go to sleep, Tyrian."

He closed his eyes, his heart and mind reeling. He had never even suspected she might be untouched like him. She was nineteen, and she was certainly beautiful and likeable. Were other monks idiots?

Her arms tightened as her body aligned itself to his. Almost completely asleep, she murmured, "Tyrian."

He buried his face in her hair and let everything go, accepting the comfort she readily offered. Oddly, he found it easy to rest as long as she was holding him. Knowing it was important but not really caring, his arms tightened around her as he fell asleep as well. He would never let her go.

©Stacy J. Garrett. Do not reprint or redistribute without permission.

Chapter 6->

Unraveling Stories - Chapter 4

<-Chapter 3

 

"If it had only been destiny, I could have struggled."

 

Tyrian didn't sleep that night. He couldn't. With nothing better to do, he stayed in bed and stared at the ceiling while his mind refused to settle or focus. Everything was jumbled up. A part of him wanted to walk away. Another part wanted to stay. The only thing he could be sure of through all of his midnight mental ramblings was that he absolutely couldn't let things continue as status quo.

How the hell had he missed this? Why was his father going along with things? He had to know what was happening. And why was the Emperor suddenly treating his people so cruelly? It seemed out of place. Tyrian had always thought Albanion was a little off in many ways, but he wouldn't have thought he was stupidly and bone deeply bad.

It was dawn before he gave up pretending to sleep. He got dressed in his slacks and borrowed tunic and then left his room. R.K. was at his desk but dead asleep on top of it as if he had simply gone to sleep while working. Tyrian stopped long enough to find a blanket and gently tuck it over his shoulders. The innkeeper clearly needed a keeper.

The entire base remained quiet as he walked down the halls. The base was decent sized, enough so that it even had barracks. A glance inside told him that they had a significant number of soldiers on hand.

A soft voice asked from the shadows, "Looking for an exit?"

He let out the breath he had taken. "Cassie." He rubbed his forehead and kept his voice down as well. "Wear a bell, will you?"

Cassie smiled a little as she stepped out of the shadows. "That would defeat the purpose of my being a monk."

He studied her in bemusement. He had gotten so used to seeing her in black that her loose white tunic and brown leggings seemed completely out of place. He was also impressed; blending in was hard enough without wearing bright colors. "I suppose it would," he concurred. "If I wanted to go outside, how would I do it?"

"I can take you to an exit. You don't want to take Liang and Marian?"

"No. I'm just going to see my mother." He glanced at her. "You can come with me. I'm sure there will be some unease if I'm running around knowing where the base is."

She shook her head. "We trust you, Tyrian. Ophelia trusts you, so we trust you." She hesitated and then went with her heart. "And I trust you," she added softly. "I would trust you even if the others didn't."

He swung around and she walked into his chest. Before she could blink, his arms had gone around her waist. He buried his face in her hair and hugged her tightly. Trembling from the inside out, she slowly lifted her arms to wind them around his neck. He was so strong and solid. Unbreakable and indomitable. But she knew, knew, he needed her to keep him that way. Someone had to protect him.

"Thank you," he said softly. "You're the last person I'd ever want to doubt me." He eased back and skimmed his thumb over her cheek. "And I just want you to know that I trust you with my life." He smiled slowly. "Anytime you want to protect me very closely, feel free."

She cleared her throat. "Tyrian."

He released her, still smiling. "I never promised to make it easy on you." He caught her hand and swung her fingers up to his lips. "Come meet my mother. As far as she has to know, you're just a girl I met. Has anyone in town seen you around?"

"Well, no. But won't she think you're courting me? You're not, are you?" she asked warily.

"Of course not, Cas."

A frown darkened her face. "Well, why not?" He quirked a brow at her and she felt her cheeks heat. "Never mind! You're not allowed to court me, understand?" He was still smiling at her but she didn't push the issue. "We're just friends," she stressed. "Tell your mom we're just friends."

"I'll tell her we're friends, but not just friends. I've never lied to my parents." They had reached a wall, and he studied the nearly invisible ladder. Likewise, the trapdoor in the ceiling could barely be seen as well. "Will anyone see us?"

"I'll check."

He waited patiently while she seemed to disappear into the shadows. When she reappeared, he automatically tucked her hair behind her ear. "Well?"

"It's clear." His fingers were lingering warmly on her cheek. She almost helplessly turned her face into his touch. His hand slid slowly around to the back of her neck and tugged her gently closer. Wanting him, needing him more than air, her lashes lowered as he bent his head and gently brushed her lips with his.

It was the lightest, most tender kiss she could have ever envisioned, and it left some sort of imprint on her soul. She felt it. With that soft little kiss, he had marked her indelibly. She was in love with him. "Oh god," she whispered when his head lifted. "How is this possible?"

"I don't know." He kissed her again just as sweetly. "You don't have to be afraid, Cassie. It's one day at a time. When you're ready, then we'll move forward." He smiled. "Should I refrain from kissing you?"

She shook her head fiercely. "No. Oddly, it seems to help clear my mind. Actually, no it doesn't. It completely turns off my mind. But I think that might be why it helps me. I'm thinking too much and not feeling enough."

"Then in that case, I won't have to test my willpower. I don't think it would have held up to restraint for you." He released her and climbed up the ladder. He carefully pushed the door open and peeked out. It was still clear. He climbed out entirely and then waited for Cassie. As soon as she had joined him and the door was once more hidden, he took her hand and escorted her to the end of the alley.

It was barely dawn, but, being a farm town, people were already up and around. Tyrian's sharp eyes spotted several soldiers, but if they recognized him, they didn't say anything. Reading the tension in his shoulders, Cassie murmured, "You don't look like a nobleman right now. The tunic is too casual, and I look distinctly like a farm girl."

"Then this ought to help." He laced their fingers together. "I think I like blending in," he decided slowly. "There's something to be said for not having people look at you with expectations."

She studied his face to memorize every line and feature. "Are there a lot of expectations of you, Tyrian?"

"Where do you want me to start?" he asked, his voice sadly wry. "Ever since I was born, I was expected to train as a warrior. That wasn't so bad; I love the thrill of battle. I was born for it. But I've been such a natural leader—bossy is another word—that everyone expected me to follow in my father's footsteps. And they keep expecting me to be the best. So I am. Then they expect more."

"To the point where you wonder if people like you because you're you or because you represent something to them." She brought his hand to her cheek. "I expect you to be you. Stubborn, frustrating, giving, protective, loving, and brilliant. That's all."

A note of strain colored his voice as he said, "Keep saying things like that and you'll find yourself kissed senseless. I'll make up your mind for you." His eyes burned as he glanced down at her. "I have enough trouble keeping my hands to myself."

Knowing full well that his willpower was so strong as to keep him from giving in to even debilitating grief and that it couldn't be shaken by even the crumbling of everything he thought he had known, she realized that knowing she could obliterate his willpower simply by being there was very, very heady.

The house where his mother lived looked no different from his memories, even though he hadn't been back in two years. When he knocked and she opened the door, she looked no different either. "Can we come in?" he asked.

Annareal lifted a brow slightly. "You're asking? At your own home, you're asking?" She stepped back regardless to let them inside. "I'm not sure if it is polite or insulting, frankly." She studied Cassie with a mother's immense curiosity. "I don't believe we've met."

"This is Cassie. She's become my best friend in short time, and I thought you'd like to meet her."

Annareal's eyes dropped to where their fingers were still clasped. A little smile played around her lips. "You thought right. It's nice to meet you, Cassie. I'm Annareal Southerwind." She studied Tyrian's eyes and then her own gaze darkened. "So. It's true, about Ben."

Cassie held tighter to Tyrian's hand when his fingers tensed. "Yes," he said quietly. "It is. That's why I came back here. And, coming here . . . I see so many things wrong. What's going on, Mother? Why are the soldiers here like this?"

Annareal sighed and led the way into the parlor. She waited for them to sit down before taking her own seat. "I don't know," she finally said. "I want to say it just happened out of the blue, but it truly was so gradual that no one noticed until it was as bad as it is now. I didn't really notice because I don't pay taxes; your father pays them directly from his pay."

"Why is he letting this happen?" He rubbed his forehead. "It's just not right! How can beggaring cities and hurting people possibly help the Emperor?"

"You can't pretend to understand what goes on in a ruler's mind," she chided gently. "But you must follow your own heart, Tyrian. If you feel what is happening is wrong, then tell someone. You are respected. They would listen."

He took a long breath. "Thank you."

"You're welcome." She smiled at Cassie. "Feel free to come for dinner any time. Tyrian's . . . friend is always welcome in my home."

Cassie cleared her throat. "Thank you, ma'am." Sensing the sun rising swiftly, she squeezed Tyrian's hand. "We should be going, Tyrian."

"Of course." He got to his feet and leaned down to kiss his mother's cheek. "It was nice to see you. I'll come back for another visit soon." Holding tight to Cassie, he led the way out of the house. As soon as they were outside, he smiled. "She didn't believe that you were just my friend."

"Oh hush," the monk groused. She contemplated her words and then said slowly, "She was wrong about something. You, more than anyone, knows what goes on inside a leader's mind. You have the potential to be the greatest leader ever because you care about people, Tyrian. Your compassion is as critical as your intelligence."

"If you keep flattering me, I'm going to get an over-inflated ego." He swung her fingers up to his lips. "That or I might kiss you wherever we happen to be."

"That shouldn't be as tempting as it is," she complained as she led the way toward another alley and another secret passage.

"I warned you." He felt himself relax as soon they entered the catacombs, and he realized something he had not noticed before. Subconsciously, he had been tense the entire time through the village and his meeting with his mother. Here, in the base, he felt comfortable. In that moment, he made his decision.

"Lord Tyrian!" Liang said in exasperation as he came down the hall.

"What's with the 'lord' stuff?" Cassie whispered.

"He likes to pretend he's formal around other people," Tyrian whispered back.

Liang ignored Cassie's muffled snickers as he caught up. Hands on hips, he glared at Tyrian. "You should have woken me. It wasn't safe for you to go wandering around outside."

Before Tyrian could open his mouth, Cassie said with a touch of chill, "Yes, heaven forbid a Tenth Class Monk be capable of protecting him. Why should he even be trusted near her, let alone to be protected by her?"

She disappeared abruptly into the shadows. Liang grimaced. "I didn't mean to offend her."

"I think you unintentionally hit a sore nerve." Tyrian made a mental note to find out what it was. "But she did have a valid point. I'm safer with her than with anyone else. Of that I am absolutely positive." He began to head down the hall with purpose. "If you want to know, we went to visit Mother. I spoke of seeing the village in this state and she told me to follow my heart."

"And?" Liang asked it though he already knew the answer.

Tyrian walked into the meeting room where Ophelia and Kyle stood looking over a huge pile of papers. They glanced up inquiringly and Tyrian said without preamble, "I'm in. I have no reason to believe that anyone at the castle would listen to me. Despite appearances, I'm still just Donald Southerwind's son. But I can't let this go on."

Kyle gave a satisfied smile as Ophelia nodded. "I knew you'd feel that way," she said. "Come join us, Tyrian." When he had stepped up beside her, she gestured to the map. "This is the layout of the Empire. We share a Y shaped border with Melodina and part of Foresalia. But we can't expect help from either. Melodina is having its own internal discord and Foresalia hates us."

"We don't want to be depending on anyone for a rebellion," Tyrian said thoughtfully. "We'll be struggling enough to establish a new leadership without having debts to repay."

"You talk as if we've already won," Liang noted.

"Am I supposed to talk as if we've already lost? If so, then we might as well end here. I'm not going into this thinking I'm going to lose." He picked up one of the papers and discovered a roster. "We have soldiers from assorted places. How well trained?"

"Well enough," Ophelia admitted, "but not nearly on par with the Imperial Army."

"We can train them. I know how the Army operates." He dropped the papers. "I have a tendency to get bossy," he informed her. "Feel free to tell me to shut up if you think I'm getting too bossy."

She smiled at him. "You're a better leader than I. Already you're getting us more organized than we were before."

"Ah, so you joined us." Ewan sauntered into the room with Cassie and Kell following him. All three looked unusually tense and there was something dangerously pissed off in Cassie's eyes. "Glad to know you made the choice before you had none."

Ophelia's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

He tossed a poster onto the table. In bold words across the top was 'WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE.' Tyrian's picture blatantly sat underneath it. A reward of up to ten thousand gold or a lifetime free of taxes had been offered as reward. There was no explanation or any legitimate reason as to why Tyrian suddenly had a bounty on his head.

"What the hell?" Kyle snatched up the poster. "Where'd you get this?"

"They're being plastered all over town," Kell offered. "When I asked a soldier why a nobleman's son was being hunted, he said that the Emperor had determined Tyrian was a threat to the Empire itself. Apparently his new consort said Tyrian was destined to overthrow the Empire."

"Consort." Tyrian frowned. "That would be Lady Blaine. I've never met her before. I know of her, naturally. She made quite the . . . impression on the court when she arrived. She has the Emperor wrapped around her finger." Something flickered in his eyes. "She arrived little over a year ago."

Ewan's brows shot up. "Conveniently around the time the situation began to change."

"Seems so." Tyrian picked up the poster and calmly tore it in half. "It changes nothing. They'd have been after me as soon as I joined the Rebellion anyway. Maybe that was what she saw. If so, then I feel much more confident about our efforts, don't you?"

"He can make the absurd sound reasonable," Liang apologized to the others. "You'll get used to it."

"Where's Marian?" Tyrian asked.

"Flirting with R.K."

He sighed. "Would someone tell her to go turn her wiles on the merchants and get as many magic scrolls and medicines as she thinks she can get away with explaining? She can use my money."

Kell grinned and scuttled off much faster than a man of his age should have been able to.

"How many troops do we have?" Tyrian asked Ophelia.

"One unit's worth—one thousand soldiers."

Tyrian began to drum the fingers of his right hand on his left arm. Several pairs of sharp eyes noted the action. "We need more troops. But we won't get more people to leave the Empire to join us unless we look serious. We can't go anywhere near the Imperial Army as we stand. They have dozens of units. We need to start small and make big waves at the same time."

"So how do we do that?" Ewan propped his feet on the table.

"We take this city." Tyrian turned to Ophelia. "If we make a bigger show of rebelling and actually let everyone know definitively that's what we're doing, the people will believe us more readily. One unit is enough to hold this town. We rout the soldiers currently here and send those who surrender back to the Empire. If any want to defect and join us, all the better."

"You're that sure they would?" asked Kyle curiously.

"You don't have corruption only at the surface. It seeps into every crack. If the people suffer, then the lowest class soldiers will suffer too. Many probably came from towns just like Teasarn."

There was a long silence. Then, slowly, Ewan said, "It's so odd. When you say things like that, I believe you. If you told me I could storm the castle with a stick and a torch, I'd do it. I'd believe you until you were proven wrong."

Cassie leaned on the table. "This would also have another benefit. If there is an active showing of resistance and success from the Rebellion, then I will be justified in going to the Clans and asking for more help. If we can get even one or two units from the Clans, then we will be very well set."

"And other towns will be more inclined to aid," Liang noted. "What about the civilians in this town? The children in particular."

"R.K. and Kell have befriended all the children." Ophelia pulled out another paper. "We know all of them by name and age. For months now, the kids have known that if they see real fighting break out, they're to come to the catacombs for safety. More than any, the children can be trusted."

"Then I, Cassie, and Kyle will take Marian and work from the inside while our unit comes in from the outside. The Army unit will no doubt be arriving anytime." Tyrian sat down with a sigh. "After all, this was my last known location and they want me dead or alive."

Unable to bear the buried note of pain, Cassie stepped forward and put her hands gently on his shoulders. "Maybe your father doesn't even know yet," she said softly.

Kell and Marian came skidding into the room. "An Army unit approaches," Kell said bluntly. "They're carrying a flag bearing the symbol of the High General. The Empire isn't playing games."

"Tyrian," Ophelia said softly in pain.

He said nothing for long moments and then straightened his back. "Fine," he said calmly. "If anything, this is best. I know how the High General works and how he trains his troops." He got to his feet, his face carefully controlled. Only his eyes, and the darkness inside, belied the turmoil inside his heart. "They rely heavily on direct combat. If we attack with subterfuge, we'll have the advantage."

As Kell hurried to the barracks, Marian hissed out a breath. "This isn't right!" she said heatedly. "Why do we have to do this?"

"Because no one else will." Tyrian gave her an even look. "You can leave."

She glared at him for long moments and then walked over and hugged him fiercely. "Not a chance!" she said against her cousin's shoulder. "You're stuck with me. I'm not about to let you get into trouble alone."

A little tension left his shoulders. "Thanks, Marian." He looked at Ophelia. "What about you?"

"I'll stay here with R.K. and Kell and we'll keep the children safe. Ewan, will you and Dylan ride with the unit to command them?"

"Done." Ewan got to his feet and headed out, shouting for Dylan to join him.

Tyrian looked at Liang. "Go find my mother and protect her. If she wants to help us, great. If not, then she can be sent to the castle. If she's really such a potential distraction to my father, then that's all the better for us."

Cassie softly touched his arm. Heaven help the Emperor if Tyrian ever truly let loose of the bitterness he had been saving up for eighteen years. Her eyes lifted to meet Liang's and an unspoken message passed between them. "I'll protect him with my life," she said simply. "I can do no other."

Liang nodded slowly. "I'm beginning to see that. Very well." He turned and left the room.

Ophelia held out a small clear stone to Tyrian. "This is a Voice Relic," she told him. "If you equip it to your earring, you'll be able to use it to talk to us and vice-versa." As he took the relic, her eyes met his. "You call the shots. You know our enemy."

He nodded and removed the small earring he wore to fasten the relic to it. The earring was more than decoration; it was a highly advanced form of magical technology. It could hold small relic fragments—like the Voice Relic—that would allow him access to a multitude of extra amenities. Most, if not all, people wore them.

A soft beep heralded Ewan's voice from the relic as he said, "Enemy in sight. No sign of Donald Southerwind. A lesser lieutenant is riding at the front."

"What's your location?" Tyrian asked.

"Hiding around the edge of town."

"Wait for them to get within range of either arrows or magic, whichever you've got a better shot at landing. After the initial shot, don't wait for them to recover. Go in immediately. Take prisoner those willing to surrender, let those willing to run do so, and remove any who choose to remain and fight."

"I like how you think. Consider it done."

The soft hum faded and Tyrian headed for the nearest exit. "We're going up top to catch anyone who causes trouble inside town. Ophelia, the kids will be sent to you for safety as soon as possible."

"Done." She gave Kyle a soft and tender kiss. "I love you," she told him softly.

Kyle shot her a frustrated look. He had always felt there was something she hadn't told him, and now he was sure. Vowing to pin her down later, physically if necessary, he followed Tyrian and Cassie as they headed up to the streets with Marian close behind.

Pandemonium had broken loose up top. The units clashed outside the city walls with the sound and fury of a full war. The Army was not prepared for the sort of controlled, yet uncontrollable, fury of the Rebellion. For every Imperial soldier that fell, another threw down arms to surrender.

The soldiers in the city were on a rampage. They tried to attack anyone who got in their way, civilian or not. Most of the townspeople were smart enough to run for cover. Children mysteriously vanished from the streets.

Kyle drew his sword. "Which way?"

"Follow me." Tyrian drew his staff and started down the closest street. At the end, he spotted several soldiers trying to break down a door. "Cassie."

He didn't need to say anything else. Throwing stars appeared in her hand and she hurled them with all her might. Her aim was true. Two of the four soldiers dropped instantly. The other two whirled and attacked.

Kyle and Tyrian proved a formidable combination. It was only moments before both soldiers went down. Marian only had to heal a minor cut to Kyle's arm where he had deflected a blow from his head. Now knowing how they worked together, the party made their way through the city, sparing no mercy for those who wanted to fight but willingly taking captive those who surrendered.

They had just cleared the streets when Dylan's voice came over the relic, "We've routed them. The majority are running back for the capitol as fast as possible. We have about one hundred prisoners."

Liang came running down the street and skidded to a stop next to Tyrian. "Lord Tyrian," he said urgently, "I can't find Lady Annareal! I've looked everywhere! She wasn't at home and she hasn't been seen anywhere!"

"Tyrian!"

The panicked and very loud shout through his Voice Relic made Tyrian wince. "R.K.? What's wrong?"

"Hurry! The base has been breached! Hurry!"

Kyle went white. "Ophelia."

The nearest entrance to the base was a block away, and the panel had already been pried up. Heart in his throat, Tyrian dropped down inside and ran down the hall. He discovered R.K. and Kell at the end, wounded and covered in blood where they sat slumped against a wall.

Marian made a panicked sound and rushed to their sides. "Hang on, boys! I'll get you healed!"

"Hurry," R.K. managed to say. "Lady Ophelia is in danger!"

Kyle was already running down another hallway. Tyrian and Cassie followed him swiftly. The sound of children crying grew louder as did the sound of fighting. Swords clashing together and soft feminine cursing. Somehow Tyrian knew what he would see.

They entered the room and came to sharp stops as they saw Ophelia locked in combat with Annareal. The older woman was by no means weak as she skillfully parried and blocked Ophelia's attacks. A dozen children huddled near a wall in terror.

"Stop!" Tyrian ordered sharply. "What are you doing?!" He was already moving forward as he spoke, and his staff appeared in his hand.

"You can't have both of us," Annareal retorted. "Make your decision, Tyrian!"

There was no decision to be made and it reflected in his eyes. His disgust for his mother was plain and clear. In fury, she whirled and went after the children. Kyle and Tyrian both rushed forward and so did Ophelia. The males didn't reach Annareal, but Ophelia did, and she threw herself in front of the children. Annareal's sword went directly into her chest and all the way out through the back. The soft gasping sound she made permanently imprinted itself in the ears of those present. Even as she fell, the others leapt forward.

Annareal found herself grabbed around the neck, slammed into the wall, and held a foot off the floor by Cassie. "Y-you," she managed to gasp. "What are you?"

"I'm from the Monk Clans," Cassie said in an icy tone. Her grip tightened. "Time for a nap." She jerked Annareal down as she shoved up with her knee. The older woman gasped as the breath was driven out of her lungs and dropped unconscious onto the floor. "Tie her up," Cassie ordered Liang as he stepped into the doorway.

"Oh god." Kyle lifted Ophelia into his arms, his face white with pain and terror. Blood. There was blood everywhere. The wound in her chest looked wide and vicious, and it had gone clear through a horrific spot. Every living creature had a place on their body that equated to an instant death sentence if they were even wounded there. In Humans, it sat an inch to the left of the heart. No Healer, no matter how talented, could heal a wound in a critical zone. "Ophelia! Ophelia!"

Her eyes opened halfway. "The kids?"

"Alive," Tyrian said quietly. "Thanks to you." He was completely unaware of the hand Cassie rested on the back of his neck. Pain boiled in his heart, scalded his soul. "We won the battle. The Army retreated. We have prisoners. Your rebellion is just beginning."

She closed her eyes as she smiled. Her breath caught on a painful hitch and then smoothed. "Yours. It's yours, Tyrian. It was always meant to be yours." She carefully lifted a hand and he grasped it tightly but gently. "You have to free everyone. Please."

"You have my vow."

"I'm glad." She drew a ragged breath. The pain was going away. It really didn't hurt anymore. Everything was warm and quiet. It was okay. She had done everything. No . . . not everything. She needed to do something else. "Tyrian? I need you to say something," she whispered.

"What is it?"

"Askandi repulsin Devourer."

He went very still. "Why?"

"Please."

Softly, he said, "Askandi repulsin Devourer." He gave her hand a little shake. "Why? Ben made me say that once too. What does it mean? What's going on, Ophelia? Damn it, you can't die and leave us like this!"

She looked at Cassie who hesitated and then nodded a little. Her gaze then went to Kyle. Her eyes softened. "Kyle." She lifted her free hand to touch his cheek gently. "I never regretted loving you." Before he could say anything, her hand dropped and her entire body went slack. Her eyes slowly closed and her breaths stopped.

Ewan began to curse in a soft and vicious voice from the doorway. He had one arm around R.K.'s waist to keep the other man on his feet. He was healed, but blood loss could only be cured by time. Kell was leaning on Marian whose face looked utterly white with devastation. "No," she whispered.

Tyrian put down Ophelia's hand and got to his feet. "Take Annareal to a holding cell," he ordered, his voice quiet and controlled. "Ensure she carries no weapons and no way to get out. She is to be guarded by any two soldiers who won't be enticed by her pleas. Offer the other Army soldiers the option of joining us or returning to the Empire."

"Who is she?" Dylan asked harshly from behind Ewan with a sharp gesture at Annareal.

A bitter little smile curved Tyrian's lips. "Donald Southerwind's wife." He knelt to help Kyle stand. The swordsman had Ophelia's body clutched in his arms. "I won't let her down, Kyle," Tyrian said quietly. "Or you. You can hate me if you wish."

"I can't feel anything right now." Eyes as heavy as his steps, Kyle slowly walked out of the room.

Tyrian almost envied him. He wished he couldn't feel anything right then too.

©Stacy J. Garrett. Do not reprint or redistribute without permission.

Chapter 5->