Empire of Night (Age of Legends 2)

"I'd not raise a hand against an old woman," Moria said. "You've been too long in the company of the Kitsunes if you expect that."

"I would suggest, Keeper, that you remember where you are and refrain from insulting your hosts. It will not help your situation."

"Alvar Kitsune raised shadow stalkers to massacre my village."

To her surprise, the guard laughed. "Is that what the emperor would have you believe?"

"No, it's what I saw."

"Is it?" All humor left his eyes as they hardened. "Perhaps then you are not a gullible child, but an instrument of the tyrant on the imperial throne. Is that the tale he told you to spread? Shadow stalkers? It would be funny if it weren't so heinous an accusation. The marshal warned us that the emperor would resurrect the old accusations of sorcery."

"Because he is a sorcerer." Moria got to her feet. "As is his son. I saw Gavril--"

His hand hit her across the mouth and she fell back, tasting blood. The old woman tensed but did nothing.

"I would beg the ancestors' forgiveness for striking a Keeper, if I did not believe you have already lost their favor. What has that imperial snake promised for your lies?" The guard stepped closer, eyes narrowing. "Or perhaps the rumor is true. They say his young Seeker and Keeper have not been sleeping in their own quarters. Twin girls sharing his sleeping pallet? The old lecher may be guilty of every possible perversion, but that would not be one he's sampled before."

Moria laughed. She couldn't help it.

"You find that amusing, girl?"

"No, I find it ridiculous. First, I can hardly imagine the emperor ignoring a declaration of war to amuse himself with young women. Second, if I'm supposedly his new plaything, why was I captured several days walk from the imperial city, fighting alongside his son? I would hope if he did bed me, he'd not tire of me quite so quickly."

Did she imagine it or did the old woman's lips quirk?

"You think highly of yourself, don't you, girl?" the guard said. "And you don't know when to keep your mouth shut."

"I won't sit by and listen to lies in silence. I should not be surprised, though. How could the Kitsunes expect to woo honorable men to their side if they admitted to sorcery? To raising the dead? To unleashing monsters and massacring--"

"Enough!" He sprang at her, hand raised, but she knocked it aside and glowered at him.

He headed for the door and waved for the old woman to leave with him. She shook her head and teetered over to Moria as she said something in a language Moria didn't recognize. From the guard's expression, he didn't know it either. But he caught the tone and the name Gavril and her meaning was clear enough. Gavril had ordered her to tend to Moria's wounds, and she was doing as she was told.

"You want to stay?" the guard said. "Stay alone, then, and hope she does not snap your old neck."

The guard stormed out. The old healer motioned again for Moria to sit and examined her head to toe with crow-sharp black eyes. She muttered under her breath and toddled off.

"No!" Moria called after her as she scrambled up. "My leg is hurt. The skin's broken, and I fear infection. If you have something clean, I'll wrap it myself--"

The woman walked out and shut the door behind her.

Moria struggled against panic.

I must warn the emperor about Alvar's lies. I must get back . . .

She shifted and heard the chain scrape over the rock-strewn floor. How was she going to escape? Gavril seemed prepared to let her rot in here.

I would not kill you, Keeper. Not kill you. Not harm you. Not ever.

That's what he'd said. But there were so many ways to hurt. Not all of them required fists and blades.

Yes, I have done whatever you believe. I have deceived you. I have betrayed you. Remember that. Whatever happens, remember that.

When the door clanked, she sat up quickly. The old woman had returned, this time with a maidservant bearing a basin of steaming water and a torch. The girl set down the basin and lit the torch, then went, leaving the door open. Moria tried to peer out, to get some sense of where she was, but she saw only a hall with more thick doors.

The old woman said something in her own language. When Moria looked over, the healer motioned for her to undress, waving toward the door as if to assure her no one would come and see her naked. Moria could have laughed. That was truly the last thing she was worried about.

She stripped out of her filthy clothes and began to bathe as the old woman tended to her injuries.