Exile's Return (Book 1) (7 page)

Oliver nodded with enthusiasm. ‘She is indeed – though I haven’t seen her myself since the spring. You know how hard it is to get to that damned abbey, Robert. She’ll be delighted to see you back, safe and sound, my boy. I’m surprised she didn’t write and tell me you were on your way.’

‘That would have been difficult – since she didn’t know.’ Robert paused, glancing at Blair but avoiding Finnlay’s eyes. ‘In fact, nobody knows.’

An awkward silence descended on the room. Finnlay was tempted to fill it with some casual comment but there was an undercurrent to the silence he found fascinating. Something in the way Blair glanced at Seaton – and Oliver avoided them both. Finnlay looked to see if Robert had noticed, but his brother’s face was typically shuttered. After a moment, Blair picked up the wine jug and began refilling their cups. As he did so, Oliver sank into a chair close to the fire, his eyes on his eldest nephew.

‘Are you saying you’ve come back in secret?’

Robert shook his head. ‘No, not at all. I see no point in secrecy. I’m not wanted for any crimes. There’s no warrant out for me – unless something has transpired in my absence?’ He cast a questioning look at Blair, who shook his head.

Seaton strode across the room and helped himself to some wine. He grunted, ‘I’ll dare say there are a few who will not be as welcoming of your return, Dunlorn. Not that I would take any notice of that. These days the usurper’s council is made up of either traitors or slavering cronies. I wouldn’t give tuppence for the lot of them!’

‘Hold your tongue, Seaton,’ Oliver chided gently. ‘My nephew has been away a long time. I’m sure he has other things on his mind than your fine opinions.’

‘My apologies, Your Grace, I meant no insult,’ Seaton bowed stiffly but his face betrayed his real thoughts.

‘No insult was taken,’ Robert replied with a quick glance at his uncle. ‘But I’m curious – your calling the King a usurper?’

Seaton raised his eyebrows defensively. ‘Well, he is – it’s a fact we all acknowledge – even Selar himself. What of it?’

‘Well, nothing really,’ Robert’s tone was casual. ‘It’s just that you never used to call him that. I can’t help wondering what has changed.’

‘Oh, please, Robert,’ Blair raised his hands in appeal, ‘don’t let him get started.’

‘Forgive me,’ Robert smiled, ‘but I have a lot of catching up to do.’

Seaton snorted in derision. ‘That’s what you get for turning your back on your country and your people when they most need you. I’m surprised you’re even asking the question – or that you bothered to return at all!’

‘Seaton!’ Finnlay took a step across the room, ‘there is no need for—’

‘What?’ Seaton snapped, ‘Disrespect? Well, tell me, Finnlay, how am I supposed to respect a man like your noble brother, here? He was once our sole voice to the King – our single representative on the council and the one man who was capable of standing up to that fool of a Guilde Proctor. A battle hero, even, and the beloved champion of the people. Where should respect lie when that same man then just walks away? A man who, the moment when things begin to get really difficult, just runs in the opposite direction? By Mineah’s teeth, he didn’t even tell us why he went!’

Finnlay opened his mouth, trying desperately to control his fury. But his brother took a deep breath and murmured, ‘Leave it, Finn.’

Robert then turned a steady gaze on Seaton, who was frozen under that intense scrutiny. Finnlay almost felt sorry
for the poor fool. Many men before him had been rooted to the spot by that same gaze and more than a few of them had felt just as intimidated as Seaton obviously did now. It was a strange talent Robert had, and one he used unconsciously. It made men both admire and fear him.

Robert paused as though choosing his words with care. When he spoke it was with his usual even tone, untainted by anger at Seaton’s attitude. But then again, Robert never did get angry at anything. ‘Do you think my staying in Lusara would have helped? Do you really think that if I’d stayed you would not have lost those lands outside Emaine?’ He skilfully ignored the sharp look he got from his uncle and continued, ‘I doubt I would have had any effect on that dispute.’

‘And what do you know about it?’ Seaton blustered. ‘You’ve been away for three years!’

Robert shrugged. ‘I still heard things. As for the rest, my reasons for leaving were between the King and myself and not the business of anyone else. You’re entirely within your rights to be angry at what happened to your lands but please – don’t lay the blame at my feet.’

‘So,’ Seaton drew the word out, ‘you won’t stand against him. I might have known you’d turn your back on us again.’

‘As you have so rightly pointed out, I have been away. If you wish to blame me for what happened, then by all means go ahead, if it makes you feel better. I’ve been held to account for many worse things in my time. But understand this: I am not a part of your argument and never will be. But even if I was, I swore an oath of allegiance to Selar when I joined his council and nothing – neither your anger nor your contempt – will ever convince me to break that oath.’

Seaton glared at him for a moment then without another word turned and stalked out of the tent.

Blair sighed into the silence and glanced at Robert. ‘I’m sorry about that. Those lands had been in his family four generations. There’s been quite a lot of that sort of thing happening lately. Seaton’s still bitter about it.’

Robert remained where he stood, his eyes still on the door where Seaton had gone. ‘Yes, I’m sure.’

Blair came across the room and slapped a hand on his shoulder. ‘Will you spend the night with us here? It’s the least I can do after the trouble my men caused you.’

Robert shook his head. ‘No, thank you. I want to get a little further before we make camp. We’ve still got a long journey ahead of us. I want to cross the mountains before the first snows.’

‘Well, it’s good to have you back, anyway. My men will have your horses ready.’

Oliver stood, ‘I’ll walk you out, Robert.’

Saying goodbye to Blair, they left the tent. Micah went off to retrieve the horses, leaving Finnlay, Robert and their uncle alone in the centre of the compound.

Robert was silent for a moment then murmured, ‘Well?’

Oliver raised his eyebrows and ran a hand through his mane of hair. ‘Please don’t jump to conclusions, Robert. There’s so much you don’t know. A lot has happened while you’ve been away. I beg you, be patient before you act.’

‘Act?’ Robert arched an eyebrow. ‘I have no intention of doing anything. I just want to know what’s going on. Why did Seaton lose those lands? And why are you here? And the others? What’s this all about? What conclusions, exactly, do you want me to avoid?’

‘Look, Robert,’ Oliver leaned forward, his voice dropping, ‘if I were you, I would stay clear of Blair and Seaton for a while. At least until you have a better idea of how things lie.’

‘Is this a warning?’

‘No, nothing like that. But as for that other thing …’

‘What other thing?’

Oliver waved his hands irritably. ‘You know very well what I mean. You’d never heard about Seaton losing those lands and I doubt your brother here told you either. You picked it out of Seaton’s thoughts. Don’t try to deny it – I’ve known you too long. I don’t know what things you got up to while you were away but you can’t continue to do them
now. Not if you intend to live long enough to get into any real trouble.’

‘But I …’

The old man frowned. ‘I know what you are, Robert – you and your brother. Fortunately, I don’t think anyone else knows and for that I thank the gods alone. But whatever you do, I beg you to be careful. If not for your sake, then at least for your mother’s.’

*

The moon was long gone behind a swathe of clouds before Finnlay heard Robert call a halt at the bottom of a narrow gully. He was glad. Tired, cold and saddle-weary, he slid down from his horse and let it drink from the shallow stream. In the darkness, he could only just make out the faces of his brother and Micah. Both looked equally tired. He would have to broach the subject of Oliver’s extraordinary revelation in the morning.

On the other hand … ‘I suppose,’ Finnlay murmured, ‘the good side was that you at least found those ruins.’

Micah managed a weary chuckle but Robert turned swiftly and pointed a finger directly at Finnlay’s chest. ‘Not one word, brother. Take this as clear warning – not one, single, solitary word. For once in your life, have the sense to know when to leave something well alone.’

Taken aback, Finnlay spread his arms, the image of innocence. ‘I wasn’t going to say anything, Robert, honest.’

‘I’m going to say this just once, brother, so listen very carefully. I have not come back to Lusara to return to court – or to join the Enclave. I don’t know what Seaton and Blair are up to and I don’t want to know. If you wish to get involved, then that’s your problem. But I will not now, nor ever, become involved in it all again. I’m going home and I intend to stay there. If you can’t live with that, then I suggest you think about taking up permanent residence at the Enclave – or learn to keep your mouth shut. I suspect the former is more likely than the latter. Any questions?’

Finnlay let out the breath he’d been holding and did his best to meet Robert’s gaze. ‘Just one. Why?’

For a second, he actually thought Robert might answer but instead, his brother burst out laughing. ‘Why? Is that all? Is that the best you can do? Oh, Finnlay, really.’

As Robert turned away, Finnlay pursued him. ‘It may be a lame question but I still want an answer. Why? Why did you go? Why come back and why are you determined to turn your back on everything you care about?’

‘But you said I cared about nothing,’ Robert replied offhandedly, reaching up to unsaddle his horse.

‘By the gods, Robert – just answer the damn question! Why?’

‘You don’t really want to know. You’re just hoping that in my reasons you’ll find something you can use to change my mind about the Enclave.’ He paused and turned around to face Finnlay properly. There should have been disdain in his eyes but there was nothing – not even patience. Just a dead, flat and unbroken façade. When he spoke again it was into a cold silence.

‘Trust me, Finn, it doesn’t matter. Not only do I not want to Stand the Circle – but I cannot. I had hoped you’d understand that by now. You, the Enclave and indeed the whole country will have to learn to get along without me. Believe me, it’s better this way. And it’s better too, that you even forget that I am a sorcerer.’

So there it was. The declaration. Even as the words were spoken, Finnlay felt the finality behind them, like a wall of stone for ever separating them. There was a bitter taste in his mouth, of disappointment and futility. All the hopes he’d held for the past few days drained away from him and he felt empty and cold. Robert may have returned to Lusara, but this return was a greater rejection than his exile had ever been.

Finnlay couldn’t look at him any more. He was afraid to. Instead, he turned back to his horse, words of acceptance on his lips. But he never got to say them. At that moment Micah moved, his voice hushed.

‘My lord?’

As Finnlay looked up, Micah pointed towards the forest, his face stern with warning. ‘Someone’s coming.’

Micah heard the horse coming towards them at a stumbling gallop, but he couldn’t see anything through the pitch black forest. And there was another sound too, one further behind—

‘A chase,’ he murmured. ‘Your uncle?’

Robert turned swiftly. ‘No. Something else. Get the horses back from the water.’

Seconds later a horse crashed through the undergrowth and pounded across the stream, sending sheets of water into the air. On seeing them the animal reared, but its rider fought and won control. Without hesitating, Micah stepped forward and grabbed hold of the bridle while a voice above him gasped out, ‘Please help me! Robbers … chasing me. Please … need to hide.’

Instantly, Robert moved. ‘Come down off there. Micah, help her up that tree. Quickly!’

The girl jumped down. Micah lifted her on to the lower branch and stepped back. She was invisible in the darkness. He turned around to find his master had already sent the horse on its way. Finnlay had tied their own horses up and was sitting casually with his back to a tree stump. With a nod, Micah grabbed an armful of firewood from the forest floor and squatted down to prepare a fire – as though he’d been there all along.

He was just in time, too. The forest opposite them parted again and three horses sped across the stream, coming to a stumbling halt in front of his master. But these men were not robbers. All three riders wore the unmistakable yellow blaze of the Guilde.

‘Did you see a rider come through here?’ their leader
demanded, gruff and out of breath. ‘Moments before us? A criminal and horse thief?’

Robert placed his hands on his hips and nodded slowly. ‘Certainly did. Rode right past us, headed that way. He nearly knocked us down.’

‘That way?’ the man pointed in the direction Dunlorn had sent the horse.

‘Yes. I hope you can follow its tracks. People like that should be stopped.’

‘Right, come on!’ As one, the soldiers turned and took up their pursuit, but Robert stayed where he was until the sound of the horses disappeared into the night. Then, with a warning glance at Micah, he called up to the girl, ‘Come down. Quickly. Finn, get that saddle back on my horse. They could return any minute.’

Micah wasted no time and rounded up their horses, coming back to his master. ‘What next? These poor animals are too tired for flight.’

‘I know. Take them and the girl further up this gully. There’s bound to be a cave or something you can shelter in. Finnlay, go with them. Try to keep the horses quiet and no talking until I return.’

‘And if they come back, my lord?’

Robert gave him a lopsided smile. ‘Just go, Micah. Now.’

Micah nodded and led the others along the stream. Limestone walls rose on either side of them, covered in clumps of determined bushes. The night was so dark, Micah had a lot of trouble keeping to their path, finding eventually that it was easier to walk along the stream bed instead. He scanned both sides of the rising cliffs but could see nothing of any use. Then Finnlay tapped his shoulder.