Chapter 2

“How long do you have?” Daeron asked.

“As weak as I am, perhaps ten minutes so ask your questions.”

“Who betrayed you?”

“Marcella, the blonde bitch,” Castien hissed.

“Hell. Because you would not go to her bed, I suspect,” he responded. A smile briefly crossed his lips. “But she didn’t know about Ange?”

“No. Do you think I’d still be alive if she had? The Baron would have known how to make me talk and, well…” Castien looked away. “I can do many things but withstanding pain is not one of them, not the kind he had planned for me.”

“Castien, it’s all right, not many can, truth be told. That’s why…” This time Daeron was the one who looked away.

Castien sighed with comprehension. “That is why I was chosen, because you knew I could not reveal what I had found out to the wrong people. It’s all right, Daeron, I understand.”

“Perhaps, but that doesn’t make it right, what I’ve put you through.”

“You needed the information, I got it and survived. And now I’d better tell you before I can’t.” Castien glanced at Madam Neville.

She caught his look and smiled. “I’ll step outside. Call me when you’re finished. Believe me, I don’t want to know what’s going on any more than you want me to.” Castien started to apologize and she patted his shoulder. “You have your job, I have mine, and honestly I prefer to keep them separated.”

When she left Castien proceeded to tell Daeron what he had found out, which he managed to do before Ange’s magic left him. Daeron listened and memorized it all. They had made it a policy never to write anything down. When Castien went silent Daeron asked how long he thought it would be before he could talk again. Castien signed, “One day,” and he nodded.

“Rest, Castien. Madam Neville will take care of you and hopefully we can get you away from here and to Angelcynn soon. I want you there and safe.”

“You need me for another job,” Castien signed and Daeron admitted he did.

“I’m sorry but with your skills you’re the only one I trust to carry it out successfully.” He sighed as he told Castien he had one week to get back in shape. “With Madam Neville’s considerable talents you should be ready.”

Castien looked at his hands. The fingers on one had been burned by the Baron in his efforts to make him talk. Daeron saw, growled, and went to call Madam Neville back into the room. She came over and took Castien’s hand. He felt a strange warmth flow from her and watched as the burns lost some of their fiery redness.

“He’ll be fine, Daeron, worry not,” she told him and he nodded in response.Chapter 3

The weather was calm as Castien and Daeron set sail for Angelcynn. Daeron stood at the railing beside Castien and watched the shore slowly fade from view. Castien had his back to it as he stared up at the light clouds that dotted the azure blue sky and he thought, Would that my life were as pure and clean as they are.

Daeron turned and must have seen something in Castien’s face. “Will you miss your home? You know it won’t be safe to return until our people can use the information you obtained to eliminate the Baron and his colleagues.”

Castien smiled, touched his heart, pointed back over his shoulder toward the place they’d left, and then tapped his head, gesturing in the direction they were headed.

“You’ll learn to love my home, you’ll see. And we need you, there are more like him, despots and tyrants who must be stopped or contained, monsters who must be destroyed for the good of all.”

Castien nodded. He knew Daeron was right, and he could be instrumental in doing this but…Finally he turned to look at the far distant shore, just a line on the horizon now. I’ll miss you, Maman, take care of my sisters. I’ll be back someday, I promise. With that thought he pushed off of the railing, strode across the deck to an open area, beckoned Daeron to follow. Once he was there Castien drew his sword. Daeron smiled and his own sword almost jumped into his hand.

“A small wager, say five pence, that I can disarm you before the sun is over the yardarm.”

Castien nodded, and they touched swords. The ‘battle’ was on. Daeron was good, one of the best in truth, and Castien was still recovering from what had been done to him. He started slowly and found himself on the defensive for quite a long time. As they parried back and forth, neither of them gaining the ascendance, some of the sailors gathered around and Castien heard bets being placed, the majority on Daeron, which just added to his incentive to win in the end. Slowly the tide changed as remembered moves and Castien’s need to prove he was still as good as they both knew he was gave him the edge he needed. Castien’s fingers began to ache however so he switched hands. He laughed at the look of surprise on Daeron’s face. From then on the battle went Castien’s way and just before the sun reached its zenith he was able to take Daeron’s weapon. Daeron grinned and gave a sweeping bow before he took five pence from his purse to hand them to Castien.