The Gates of Iron Read online

  “I am sorry for the way I left, and for being gone so long.” Hierm, along with his friends Shanis, Oskar, and Khalyndryn, had left their home in Galsbur without so much as a word to their families. They’d all had their reasons, at least, they’d thought so at the time, but seeing his mother’s relief drove home just how much worry he’d put her through.

  “And who is this?” Laman knitted his eyebrows as he noticed Rinala for the first time. Despite the girl’s rough Monaghan clothing, his eyes betrayed no hint of the judgment Hierm had expected.

  “This is Rinala, my wife.” Hierm put a hand around Rinala’s waist and drew her close.

  Faun made no attempt to hide her amazement as she gaped at the girl who was now her daughter by marriage. Hierm could not say what caught his mother’s attention first— Rinala’s rough spun, travel-stained dress or her swelling stomach.

  “As you can see, you’re going to be a grandmother,” he added unnecessarily.

  Rinala bent her knee and made a perfect curtsy. “It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Mother. Your beauty is far greater even than my husband described.”

  Hierm had to grin. Throughout their trek to Archstone, the capital city of Galdora, Rinala had worked diligently to adopt a more Galdoran manner of speech. He had to admit when the girl set her mind to something, she attacked it with the tenacity of a hungry wolf.

  “Well, then.” Faun struggled for words. “I imagine you wish to bathe and change into a proper dress.”

  “I fear I have no other dress.” Rinala looked at Faun, shamefaced.

  This broke the tension in exactly the way Hierm had hoped. Faun, who had always wanted a daughter, began barking orders.

  “Laman, go immediately to Madam Ross and tell her I need her right away. Tell her I want several dresses made, and if she isn’t here by the time Rinala is out of her bath, I shall send for someone else.” Laman chuckled and set off while Faun took Rinala by the hand and pulled her into the house. “Hierm, stoke the fire and put a kettle on to boil. A woman with child should not take cold baths. We shall be upstairs.” Rinala threw a bemused smile in Hierm’s direction as the two women disappeared up the stairs.

  Hierm laughed to himself. Home for only a few minutes and he was already being ordered about as if he’d never left. It was comforting in its familiarity.

  It was near dark when Faun and Rinala finally emerged from Faun’s chambers. Faun had scraped and scrubbed every last speck of dirt from Rinala’s body, filed her nails, plucked her eyebrows, and combed the snarls out of her hair. Hierm would not have known this, save for the fact that his mother described, at great length, all she had done to make his new wife “presentable.”

  “Madam Ross promised to have one dress ready by morning and the rest shortly thereafter,” Faun said. “We shall, of course, have them taken in after the baby arrives.” Gazing proudly at Rinala who sat curled up in a chair by the fire, sipping a cup of tea, Faun looked like a sculptor admiring her own work.

  The transformation in Hierm’s wife was striking. She had always been a lovely girl, but now her beauty was on display to full effect. She seemed to know it, too because she smiled at Hierm and gave him a seductive wink.

  “It’s a shame you would not let me trim your hair, dear,” Faun said.

  Hierm saw Rinala’s eyes widen and recognized her prodigious temper beginning to flare. Apparently, cutting one’s hair violated some Monaghan taboo. Not wishing to ruin the good mood, he placed a hand on his mother’s elbow and guided her into the kitchen where a serving woman was preparing their meal.

  “I need to talk to you about Rinala.” He kept his voice low, so his wife would not hear though she already knew what he would be speaking to his mother about. “I will need you to take care of her and the child.”

  Faun blanched. “Take care of them? Are you leaving again?”

  “No, but I have been offered a place at the Prince’s Academy. They won’t be able to live with me until I have finished my training.”

  “The Academy? But how?”

  “Prince Larris is a friend of mine.”

  Coming on the heels of meeting Hierm’s new wife and learning that she was about to be a grandmother, Faun seemed to find this tidbit unremarkable.

  “Is that so? But you a soldier? Hierm, no.”

  “It’s what I’m best at,” he said firmly. “I can’t run Van Derin and Sons. I’m neither Father nor Laman.” He held up a hand to quiet her objection. “It is all right,” he assured her. “I bear no ill will toward either of them. We are just different.”

  “But we need you,” Faun whispered. “There has been no word from your father, or anyone from Galsbur for that matter. I have visited the temple every day praying for them. If something has happened to him, I don’t know what I shall do.”

  Hierm swallowed hard. He and his father were not on the best of terms, yet the thought of losing Hiram weighed heavy on his heart. “I am sure he will be all right, and Laman is more than capable of running the business. Father has been grooming him for years.” He found it strange to realize that, before he had left Galsbur, such an admission would have galled him, but now he knew it to be the pure truth. “I have to go to the academy. I gave Prince Larris my word.”

  Faun frowned. “How exactly did you come to know the prince?”

  “The story is a long one. I’ll tell you over dinner.”

  Dinner was a hearty stew with chunks of lamb and savory vegetables and a loaf of fresh bread. Faun apologized for the limited fare, but Hierm and Rinala assured her that, after months on the trail, it seemed a veritable feast.

  As they ate, Hierm explained the circumstances of his departure from Galsbur so long ago. He briefly recounted meeting Larris and joining him in the search for the Silver Serpent. He omitted a great deal of the story, particularly the fact that, by now, Shanis was likely the leader of the Lothan clans. Faun, who had never thought much of Oskar and disapproved of Shanis outright, did not ask after either of them, but tears welled in her eyes when she learned that their friend, Khalyndryn, had died not long ago.

  “So,” Hierm finally finished, “Prince Larris expects me to present myself at the palace tomorrow morning.”

  Laman and Faun lapsed into stunned silence. Finally, Laman set down his wine glass and cleared his throat.

  “That is quite a tale, brother. Let me make certain I understand. You are telling us that you are a personal friend of Prince Larris?”

  Rinala rose to Hierm’s defense immediately. “Every word is true.”

  “If you say so.” Only someone who knew Laman well would recognize the patronizing tone that set Hierm’s teeth on edge. “You do know we are at war on three fronts?” Laman asked. “Enlisting right now is suicide.”

  “What good is a soldier in peace time? Besides, I don’t think Larris will give me a choice. The kingdom needs all the capable fighters it can find.” He felt Rinala put her hand on his thigh and give him a squeeze. Born and raised in the midst of clan war, the girl was accustomed to her loved ones placing themselves in harm’s way. He gave her a tight smile and looked at his mother. “What are your plans? Will you stay here?”

  Her eyes fell. “If, I mean when, your father sends word, we will return to Galsbur.”

  “And what if...” Hierm could not say the words, but Faun evidently took his meaning.

  “Then Laman will run the business and will also take up Hiram’s post as Firstman.”

  “What is this Firstman?” Rinala asked.

  “He is the leader of the council, and the most powerful man in Galsbur,” Faun explained.

  “And this council, they will just give Laman the job?” Rinala frowned over her cup of tea. “In Monaghan, a man who wants to lead must earn it.”

  Laman stiffened but held his tongue. He took a long drink of wine and stared daggers at Rinala.

  “I wouldn’t expect a girl to understand leadership.” For the first time since their arrival, Faun looked at Rinala with a hint of disapproval
.

  “My father be Clan Chief of the Hawk Hill,” Rinala said, slipping back into her familiar speech patterns.

  A sharp knock at the door cut off Faun’s retort. She and Rinala exchanged dark looks while Laman answered the door.

  A resonant voice boomed through the house. “His Royal Highness, Prince Larris Van Altman, requests an audience with Hierm Van Derin.”

  “A-all right,” they heard Laman stammer. He gave way to the prince and a uniformed guard.

  Hierm, Faun, and Rinala made to stand, but Larris motioned for them to remain seated.

  “Please do not get up on my account. I apologize for the intrusion, my lady,” he nodded in Faun’s direction, “but I must speak with your son on a matter of great urgency. Is there somewhere private we could talk?”

  “There is a garden out back.” Hierm scarcely choked out the words. It was the first time he had seen Larris dressed in his royal finery. Gone was the cheery, curly-haired youth whose brown eyes always seemed to carry secret knowledge. In his place stood a well-groomed, confident young man who bore little resemblance to Hierm’s traveling companion.

  “Very well. Ladies, again my apologies.” Larris made a small bow.

  Faun was too shocked to reply. Rinala smiled, enjoying her new mother’s surprise. She winked at Larris and then blew her husband a kiss. The simple act eased Hierm’s nerves and he managed a real smile as he led Larris out into the walled garden.

  “I need your help,” Larris began immediately. He quickly recounted the day’s events, ending with the precarious issue of the line of succession. “My father is ill. With the document lost, it something happens to him it will be chaos.”

  “What is it you want from me?” Hierm couldn’t see how he could assist with any of this.

  “We need to find Lerryn. We need his skills as a commander and we need to resolve the questions about the line of succession. If Lerryn is dead, we need proof.” Larris leaned against the garden wall, plucked a flower from a nearby climbing vine, and absently shredded the petals.

  “We have proof,” Hierm said. “Witnesses: me, Rinala, Edrin, Hair, Lerryn’s soldiers. If they survived.”

  “Forgive me, but the word of commoners will carry little weight. The assumption would be, if I were behind this ruse, a commoner would be more likely than a noble to be bribed or intimidated. It’s absurd, of course. There’s more than enough corruption among the nobles.” Larris sighed and tossed the shredded blossom on the ground. “In more peaceable times, it might not be so difficult, but with war and rebellion, the throne must appear strong and my family united.” He barked a rueful laugh. “I don’t even want to be king, but I’ll do what I must.”

  “So, you want me to go with you to look for Lerryn?” Hierm’s heart sank. His wife was expecting, he was so close to fulfilling his dream of entering the academy, and he saw little chance his mother would retain her unusually good humor if he announced he was leaving again.

  “I can’t go. If something happens to my father and both of his sons are missing, it would be a disaster. And with the abdication document missing, I have to assume a conspiracy is at foot. Allyn suggested it might have been taken by mistake, but I don’t think so.” Larris set his jaw. “You’re the right man for the job. You know the lands to the west.”

  “Not all that well.”

  “Well enough. What’s more, I trust you.”

  Hierm felt his resistance crumbling. “What about Rinala and the baby?”

  “I know, but you have a few moons left until the baby comes. You should be back long before then.” He reached out and put his hand on Hierm’s shoulder. “I know I ask a great deal, but I need you.”

  “Why not Allyn?”

  “I have already set him a task.” Larris dropped his hands to his side and his expression hardened. “I will make it a royal order if that will help you with your wife and mother.”

  “It might at that.” Hierm managed a smile. “Am I to go alone?”

  “Edrin and Mattyas will join you.” He referred to two young men from western Galdora, who had joined Lerryn on his separate quest to find the Silver Serpent.

  “I suppose they’re disappointed not to begin their study at the academy?”

  “Not as disappointed as Mattyas is that I didn’t get to him before they cut his hair.”

  Hierm had to laugh. “I can’t wait to see that. Can I still call him Hair? I don’t think I can call him by his actual name.”

  “I agree. They will be here in the morning with horses and supplies.”

  Hierm groaned. “The sooner I leave, the sooner I can return, I suppose.”

  “That’s the spirit.” Larris headed toward the door but halted after a few steps. “Can you do me one more favor?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Wait until I’m gone before you tell Rinala.”

  Chapter 3

  “What are they doing over there?” Shanis reined in her horse and pointed toward a place where men and women were hacking away at the thick undergrowth.

  “Clearing out shrubs and creepers,” Heztus replied.

  “I know that. But why?”

  “Oh. You should have asked.” Heztus gave her a wink.

  Shanis heaved a sigh, managing a tiny smile in the process. Since her friends had departed, the dwarf had kept her company, and he seemed to have made it his mission to keep her spirits up. He was also a helpful advisor whose genial manner made it easy for him to move among all the clans gathered around Calmut.

  “Once upon a time, there was a sizable city here. People have begun reclaiming it. There’s even talk of settling here, or at least establishing a presence for each clan.”

  Shanis nodded. “I wish we could do something about the divisions between clans. We’re united, but we have a long way to go.”

  “Patience. The changes you’ve made are a fine start if for no other reason than you’ve given all the clans a single person on whom to focus their anger.”

  One of Shanis’ first actions upon being recognized as the ruler of the newly-united Lothan was to arrange cross-clan marriages, seeking to form bonds where none had existed before. Most of the clan leaders and a few of the betrothed saw the wisdom in her actions, but many more were angry. She couldn’t blame them, but knew it was the right thing to do.

  “They do say you should no be making them marry until you do the same,” Granlor said. Granlor was a young Monaghan warrior who’d appointed himself Shanis’ bodyguard back when she first proclaimed herself as the bearer of the Silver Serpent. Realizing he’d said too much, he coughed into his fist and looked away.

  “When she marries, it won’t be to a Lothan.” Heztus drew a sharp dagger and absently trimmed his nails. “She can’t choose a Malgog over a Monaghan, or vice-versa, lest she drive a new wedge between the clans. It will have to be an outlander.”

  Shanis hoped her face did not reflect the way her heart fluttered at Heztus’ words. Prince Larris, as the second son, was not the first in line to inherit the Galdoran throne. But she didn’t dare hope.

  “I won’t be marrying any time soon, in any case. I have too much to do.”

  “Like laying siege to Karkwall and claiming the throne?” Heztus asked a bit too blithely.

  “Heztus, do you remember when I told you how much I value the fact that you never prevaricate or mince words? I think I’ve changed my mind.” She spurred her horse forward, leaving the two men hurrying to catch up.

  They cantered down what had recently been a footpath, but was now a small thoroughfare, worn down by thousands of feet and hooves. They soon came upon a clearing where Gillen, the fair-haired apprentice bone woman of the Hawk Hill clan, stood in the midst of a cluster of girls and young women. Shanis could not hear what she was saying, but it was clear the woman was teaching. Several other bone women stood nearby, listening and occasionally nodding in agreement.

  Shanis reined in, dismounted, and handed her reins over to Granlor as soon as he caught up. As she approach
ed, Effie, a bone woman of the Black Mangrove clan, turned to greet her.

  “What’s all this?” Shanis indicated the gathering with a nod of her head. “Do all of them want to be bone women?”

  “Not exactly.” Effie placed a light hand on Shanis’ elbow and steered her away so they would not disturb the instruction. “Some do, but others want to learn from us. Bone women’s skills are varied: some are strong in healing, others know herbs, some give wise counsel, while some even know magic.”

  “Do any know sorcery?” Shanis was surprised to hear the question pass her lips, but she was keenly interested. With Aspin, the seeker, gone, no one remained to instruct her in her newly-discovered talent.

  Effie pursed her lips. “It is considered impolite to ask. Of course, you did not know that.” She thought for a few moments before answering. “At least two of us do— do not ask me to tell you who; it is not my place to do so. There are probably more, but I cannot say for certain. It will be their choice to reveal it when they are ready.”

  Shanis sighed. Of course, it couldn’t be that easy. “What is Gillen teaching them?”

  “A simple spell to sooth a crying baby. She taught the other bone women last night. She knows a number of spells none of us had ever heard of. This sharing has already broadened everyone’s knowledge.”

  Shanis had assumed that all bone women had similar skills. Learning that this was not the case had given her an idea.

  “Who trains new bone women?”

  “The bone woman of a clan gives such instruction as she is able and keeps a few of her most skilled students as apprentices. If two clans are at peace, they will exchange apprentices so knowledge may be shared.”

  “We are all at peace with one another now,” Shanis observed. “What if there was a place where all the clans could share their knowledge with one another?”

  “You mean, like a school?” Effie looked doubtful.

  “Exactly. Apprentices wouldn’t be limited to what their own clan can teach them. Your knowledge would grow exponentially.”