Forest of Ruin (Age of Legends 3)

"I still do not think he would--"

"I tried to keep my fears for my mother concealed. To show only the proper concern of a son for his mother. But I did show that concern to him. I said that I wanted to see her, to reassure myself she was safe and well."

"Which is, as you say, only proper."

"We were not abducted by imperial bandits, Keeper," he said. "Toman was my father's man."

"What?"

"Does that not make more sense? That they were lying in wait for us, knowing the road we'd take back to my father? Wouldn't that explain why he tried so hard to convince us of the evil plans the emperor would have in store for us? To frighten us? Why he would not attack a small band of my father's recruits? Why he knew exactly where my mother was being held? Why he played the game of having me search the house, of having my hopes raised that she'd escaped or my fears raised that she'd been taken . . . only to discover she'd suffered a far worse fate? That is my father, Moria. It is exactly how he would do it."

She said nothing. Could say nothing. Daigo rubbed against her, sensing her mood.

Gavril continued. "As with all his schemes, it accomplished multiple purposes, because it is not enough simply to teach me a lesson or to stop my asking about my mother. Killing her in the traditional way of the Tatsu clan pins the blame on the emperor. Toman would have found some way to return me--perhaps my father's men would have faked an attack and rescued us--and I would tell the tale of my mother's death and my father could work up righteous rage and grief and the story would spread."

"But it won't now. Your father is losing control of his shadow stalkers. They escaped and killed Toman and foiled that plan, and now we have foiled the greater one. He did not raise dragons. The goddess is punishing him."

"I wish I believed that, Keeper," he said.

She walked over and leaned against his shoulder. "I do, Kitsune. I truly do."

FORTY-TWO

"Alone again," Ashyn murmured as Tova bumped her hand. She smiled and scratched behind his ears.

"You don't count."

He rolled his eyes. Then he looked at everyone surrounding them and rolled them again.

"Yes," Ashyn whispered. "But you know what I mean."

True, she was surrounded by people, and few of them were strangers. She could see Ronan scouting ahead. Tyrus had been at her side, but had gone ahead to speak to Ronan. Dalain and Sabre were behind her, watching for trouble. A half dozen Okami warriors and several of Sabre's father's men could be spotted in the sweep of an eye. There was even a dragon, intermittently flying over Tyrus's head and then taking off for parts unknown, stretching her wings and exploring her world after nearly an age of sleep.

Yet someone was missing, and right now, that was the only person Ashyn truly wanted: her sister.

Tyrus circled back to her side. "Gavril will take care of her," he said, as if reading her thoughts. "I'd not have let her go with him if I doubted that for a moment."

"Nor would I have suggested it if I had doubts."

However confused Ashyn felt about Gavril--seeing him fighting at Tyrus's side, tending to her sister's wounds--she did not question his loyalty to Moria. That felt naive, after all he'd done, but she'd seen his face when her sister was hurt, seen his terror when they'd been trying to staunch Moria's wound, and when Ashyn had suggested he go with her, it was as if everything between them had vanished, and he was once again the young man who'd traveled with them through the Wastes.

Ashyn looked over at the young prince, now more than a friend to her sister. That, perhaps, in its odd way, had her most unsettled of all. So much had happened during their separation, and while most was larger and far more significant, this was what stuck in her mind. Her sister had fallen in love, and Ashyn had not been there to witness it. She'd missed Moria telling her of their first kiss. Missed Moria confessing her feelings. Missed the joy and excitement of sharing her sister's first love. They'd shared every landmark in their lives, and now . . . Life was changing. For both of them.

How did Ashyn feel otherwise about what had transpired? Pleased. She'd said she was happy for her sister, and she truly meant it. Tyrus was a worthy partner for Moria, and Ashyn would not have said that of anyone else. Except perhaps . . .

That only complicated matters, didn't it? Best to put it aside and leave it uncomplicated. Tyrus loved Moria, and Moria loved Tyrus, and their feelings were clear to anyone who saw them together.

"We'll be reunited with her soon," Tyrus said.

"I know."

"When we get her back, I'll not . . ." He glanced over. "I know you have been parted nearly a fortnight, and I know how painful that was for her, so I am certain it was the same for you. Things may have changed between Moria and me, but when she comes back? She's all yours."

Ashyn smiled and leaned her head briefly against his shoulder as they walked. "Thank you. I'm sure I'll want to steal her away and let her regale me with tales of her grand adventure, but I'll not keep her to myself for long. I did mean what I said. That I'm happy for you. Thrilled, in fact."

They both looked up to see Ronan jogging toward them. Tyrus strode forward, Ashyn hurrying to keep up. Ronan cast her a quick glance. They'd had little time to do more than exchange a few words. Ashyn desperately wanted to speak to him, to hear what had happened, if he'd returned to his brother and sister and then somehow found the others. But it had not been the time. Tyrus needed Ronan scouting, with his full attention on that. She'd resisted the urge to ask Tyrus how he'd found Ronan. She wished to hear the story from Ronan himself. Which meant it had to wait.

"I've spotted riders," Ronan said. "Three, possibly four. Scouting, I presume. They've broken from the main group and they're headed in this direction."