The Born Queen Part 24

"There's a spring just over here," he said. "You can leave your clothes and take my cloak. We can be to Ermensdoon in under a bell."

"I know you," Aspar said.

"Auy. I hait Emfrith Ensilson. You saved my life."

Aspar nodded. "You look better than when I saw you last."

"I should think," the greftson said. "How are you feeling?"

Aspar shrugged. "I'm not so easy to poison as some."

"From what I've heard, I'd hardly guess you were human at all," Emfrith said, trying on a little grin that didn't fit and was soon put away. Aspar didn't miss the shy glance at Winna, either.

"Human's not all your mother told you it was," Leshya said.

"He's human enough," Winna said.

"Where's Ehawk?" Aspar asked.

"In the mountains, looking for you."

Aspar had been aware that more horses and men were approaching, and now they were there: twenty-two of them, most in the livery that Aspar remembered from Haemeth. A couple were dressed more roughly, and he reckoned they were trackers or hunters.

"We've a few extra horses," Emfrith said. "I'd be happy if you and the lady would use them."

"I'll stay on foot till I'm clean," Aspar said. "Where's this spring you were talking about?"

"Just there," the fellow replied, gesturing.

Aspar nodded and headed in that direction.

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The spring came cold and clear from the ground and fed a pretty pool edged in moss and ferns. He wearily stripped off his leather chest plate and the gambeson beneath, which was so threadbare that it was worn through in places.

Next to go were the elkskin boots and breeches, and he slipped into water that was almost painfully cold at first but after a few moments felt perfect. He closed his eyes and soaked for a moment, letting the toxic blood flow away from his skin in lazy banners.

Truth to tell, he didn't think that as sedhmhari went the-what, wyver? drake?-was all that poisonous, at least not compared to the woorm or greffyn, whose mere glances were enough to bring death to the weak. But he needed a moment to think, and with Winna in her condition...

In her condition. He suddenly remembered the huge sow back in the Sarnwood, the thing within her tearing to be free from its mother's belly, and felt his breath quicken.

"The next human being you meet, you'll take under your protection. And you will take that person to the valley where you found the Briar King sleeping."

That was Winna. Of course it was, Grim d.a.m.n it all.

Well, he wouldn't do it. To the hanging tree with the Sarnwood witch.

But why would she want him to take her there? Why would she want that?

He heard a twig snap and s.h.i.+fted his gaze. It was Emfrith, coming toward him.

Aspar cast a glance at his armor, a kingyard away, but there wasn't any time to get that on. The knife was within arm's reach.

"It's me," Emfrith said unnecessarily.

"Yah," Aspar agreed.

"I've brought my cloak. It's probably best we burn the clothes, don't you think?"

"Probably," Aspar replied.

Emfrith nodded but didn't go toward the abandoned garments.

"Didn't really think I'd see you again," the greftson admitted. "She kept insisting we search, and I did, because, well, I suppose I owe you."

"Was that the reason?"

"Not really. But I did search for you nevertheless, followed the waurm's trail into the Bairghs and lost it there. That still wasn't enough for her. Two days ago she had a dream, she said. Said she saw you coming down through these woods. I reckoned one more look wouldn't hurt."

"But it did."

He shrugged. "I could wish we hadn't found you."

Aspar nodded, trying to take in the whole scene. Were there archers out there? But this boy had taken on the woorm with only a lance and a horse. That was almost the only thing Aspar knew about him, but it suggested he didn't lack courage or conviction. Honor sometimes went with that.

"I never reckoned I could feel this way about someone with common blood," Emfrith went on. "But it's not so unusual in my family. We're not high royalty, after all." His voice lowered. "I can give her a better life than you can, holter. And the child, too."

"I know," Aspar said. "How does Winna feel about all this?"

"What do you think? She's been waiting for you."

"And here we are."

"Here we are," the greftson concurred. Then he started forward, toward Aspar's clothes.

"Maunt you we should destroy the cuira.s.s, too? I can give you another."

Aspar glanced at the worn piece of armor. He'd had it for a long time. He'd already lost Ogre.

Stupid. It was just a thing, a thing nearly used up. And if Emfrith wasn't going to try to kill him now, he probably was telling the truth about replacing it.

"I'm being chased," Aspar said.

"Chased? By whom?"

"A pack of monsters," he said.

"How far behind you?" Emfrith asked. He didn't seem surprised.

"Well, the flying ones are here already, aren't they? The rest could be a day behind or a nineday. I'm not sure about their route or how well they track."

"We can fight them at Ermensdoon."

"No, we can't," Aspar said. "Trust me."

"What, then?"

"I-" Aspar began, but then his throat tickled. What he meant to say was that he and Leshya would continue on, draw Fend and his beasts off someplace.

That was what he meant to say.

"We can keep ahead of them. I know a safe place; it's just a matter of getting her there."

Emfrith frowned. "I understand your feelings for her, but if the monsters are chasing you, wouldn't she be safer if she didn't travel with you?"

Yes!

But Aspar shook his head. "They're after her, too. The wyver was attacking her, yah?"

Emfrith nodded. "Yes," he conceded. "But why?"

Aspar took a deep breath. Could he tell Emfrith about the geos? Then the boy could kill him or imprison him long enough to get Winna away from him.

It was worth a try.

"You remember where I got the berries that cured you from the woorm's poison?"

"The Sarnwood witch, they say."

"Yah." There was a price for that. There was a price for that. "She told me that Fend was going to kill Winna if I don't stop him." "She told me that Fend was going to kill Winna if I don't stop him."

He wanted to scream, but he couldn't.

"Look," he said desperately. "You said Winna dreamed I would be here?"

Emfrith nodded. "Does she often have premonitions?"

"No!" Aspar replied. "No, she-" But that was all he could manage. He was like a strangpoppet in a children's farce.

"We'll go to Ermensdoon for supplies and the rest of my men," Emfrith said. "And I'll send out a few scouts to see if they can get a better idea of how far behind you they are. You killed the wyver; maybe they've lost you entirely."

"Maybe," Aspar said dubiously.

The ride to Ermensdoon wasn't a comfortable one. Winna rode near him, and Emfrith wasn't far away. Leshya hung back, but that didn't do much good. No one wanted to talk in front of everyone, so they mostly went in silence.

Ermensdoon was an old-fas.h.i.+oned hill castle with a square central tower and a stout wall. It sat on a little stub of a mound surrounded by a moat so old and unused that it had reverted mostly to a marsh of cattails and river gra.s.s and was currently home to a number of ducks and coots.

"There's a newer fortress a league south," Emfrith told him. "A full garrison marched up from Eslen last nineday. I reckon the queen thinks Hansa may try a march to the Warlock and then take boats down. My father gave me Ermensdoon when I was little. Before that, it hadn't been lived in for a generation."

Aspar didn't really have anything to say to that, so he didn't speak. Soon enough they were inside, anyhow, and he was in a small chamber in the tower. He was supplied with several cotton s.h.i.+rts, a pair of st.u.r.dy riding breeches, and calfskin boots. The thickset fiery-headed fellow who had brought them looked him over.

"What sort of broon you favor?"

"Boiled leather," Aspar said.

"I can come up with a steel one, I think."

"I'm not a knight. Steel doesn't suit me: too heavy. Leather will do."

"I can make one in a couple of days."

"We're in more of a hurry than that, I think," Aspar said.

"I'll start it, but I'll see what else I might have on hand," the redhead replied.

"Thanks," Aspar said.

Then the fellow was gone, leaving him to his worries.

But not for long. The knock came that he had been both hoping for and dreading; when he opened the door, Winna stood there.

"Are you unpoisoned now?" she asked.

"I reckon."

"You'll kiss me, then, or I'll know why."

It seemed like a very long time since he had kissed her, but the taste came right back to him, and he remembered the first time his lips had met hers. He'd just encountered a monster then, too: his first. And the surprise of her kiss had easily matched the shock of seeing a kinderspell beast come to life.

The kiss went on a little longer than its sincerity. Too many questions were behind those lips.

They pulled apart, and Winna smiled.

"So," Aspar said, glancing down at her belly.

Her eyebrows went up. "I hope that's not a question," she said. "Aspar White, I truly hope you're not asking a question."

"No," he said quickly. "But, ah, when?"