Saviar had to know. "What in deepest, darkest, coldest Hel did you do?"
Subikahn opened his mouth, then closed it in a deep sigh. "I can't tell you, Savi. I can't tell anyone."
"We shared a womb," Saviar reminded, not for the first time.
Subikahn returned a wan smile. "As I remember it, you hogged most of the space."
Stopped short by the comment, Saviar stared. Though neither of them could possibly remember, it had to have been true. He had been a much larger infant than his twin, and the disparity remained to this day. He probably currently outweighed his darker brother by nearly double. A smile wriggled across his lips before he could stop it, but he did manage to suppress laughter. "This is serious."
"Extremely." Subikahn sucked in another deep breath and released it slowly. "I thought my bond with my father was as solid as the mountains. I thought nothing I could say or do would harm it. And yet, look what happened." He met Saviar's gaze, eyes moist.
Saviar's blood seemed to turn to ice water. He could not imagine anything so terrible that it could damage the bond between twin brothers. Yet, a week ago, he would never have believed anything could sever a doting father like Tae from Subikahn either. Maybe he's right. Maybe it's better if I don't know. And yet, the idea irritated as much as troubled him. The entire world seemed to have gone crazy, and his family led the charge. His mother had made a foolish decision out of pride and derision, one that had ultimately taken her from her family and doomed the entire tribe. The infallible Knight-Captain had made a horrendous decision. Their once-brave father had allowed grief to turn him into puddled goo. And Subikahn had done something so unspeakably evil he could not share it even with his twin. Battered, nearly broken, abandoned by everyone he ever trusted, Saviar felt like crawling into a deep hole and remaining there forever.
Suddenly seized with the desire to hurt his twin, Saviar turned away and noticed a small figure moving toward them.
Always wary, Subikahn melted into the shadows, whispering. "Is that…?"
Saviar knew exactly what Subikahn intended to ask. "Yes, that's Treysind." He waited for the boy to approach before asking, "What can we do for you?"
The "we" apparently caught Treysind off guard because he looked around briskly until his gaze finally landed on Subikahn, still and silent against the bushes. "Hero sended me." He studied the half-Easterner cautiously. "He wanted me ta makes sure ya's was alrigh'."
"Really?" In no mood for family games, Saviar took the announcement with a grain of salt. "The Great Golden Idol of Renshai deigns to wonder if I'm alive or dead?"
Treysind glowered, the look odd on his young features. "A course he cares.Ya's his brother. He loves ya."
Saviar snorted. "The only person Calistin loves is Calistin."
"Hey!" Treysind grasped the hilt of his new sword awkwardly. "Tha's… tha's mean. It's insultin' ta… ta Hero."
"Yes, it is." Saviar forced himself to speak civilly, though it took an enormous effort of will. He was rapidly beginning to hate his entire family. When it came to human emotion, Calistin deserved every affront he could hurl; but Treysind was blameless. "I'm sorry I said that to you." It was the closest he could come to an apology, meager but apparently enough for Treysind, who nodded and uncurled his fist from the hilt.
"Hero really sended me ta make sure yas was well. He rilly do love yas." Treysind clearly believed it important that he make Saviar understand. "Honest. He's jus'… not rilly good at showin' it."
"He's not doing any worse than the rest of my stupid family," Saviar mumbled, quietly hoping Subikahn heard him.
"What?" Treysind apparently did not.
Saviar refused to repeat it. "Nothing. Why don't you take me to him? Right now, I'd like to be with someone who… loves me… who wants to be with me." He deliberately turned his back on Subikahn, but still managed to hear his twin muttering.
"Oh, stop acting like a baby."
"Go to Hel," Saviar whispered back savagely.
Apparently oblivious to the exchange, Treysind brightened noticeably. "I's sure Hero'd enjoy his brothers' comp'ny." He turned his attention to Subikahn. "Is yas coming, too, Hero's other brother?"
Subikahn stiffened. "I… no. How did you…? No. I have to go. Alone, apparently. The fewer people who know I'm here, the better." He glided silently into the brush.
Alone, apparently. Those words stuck with Saviar while the others faded. He can't be suggesting I accompany him. Can he?
Treysind narrowed in on a different phrase. "How's I knowin'… who yas is? Hero loves ya both. He talks 'bout ya, so's I knowed who yas was even wit'out meetin'." He grinned, clearly thrilled by his analysis. "I's bein' sure ta tell him ya's well, too."
"No!" Subikahn reappeared. "Didn't you hear me say I don't want people knowing where I am?"
"I tells Hero ever'thin'."
"Of course you do." Saviar could not help reveling in his twin's discomfort, though he knew it was wrong. His father would never approve of such wicked pleasure, nor his grandfather.Yet, at the moment, Saviar did not feel kindly disposed toward any of them. "And you should. It's not fair of Subikahn to expect otherwise."
Subikahn hissed just loudly enough for Saviar to hear, "You obnoxious, lumbering bastard." Then disappeared.
Exhausted, grouchy, mad at the entire world, Saviar followed Treysind in silence.
CHAPTER 20
Sometimes hatred is just hatred
The horse plunged to a rattling stop, and Imorelda dug her claws into Tae's leg for balance. The king looked out from their tiny cart to see the familiar, massive mountains that cradled Bearn Castle. Excitement flooded through him, tinged with relief. A light sleeper from necessity, he had awakened to every bump, clatter, and neigh as they traversed the messenger route behind an endless stream of galloping horses. By far the fastest way from Stalmize to the West, it employed a long line of men and horses standing always at the ready to travel at top speed any time of day or night, in all types of weather, usually to deliver decrees, notes, and occasional important packages. Interference with the messenger lines spelled instant death, but it was never meant for hauling humans and cats. Battered and bruised by the trip, exhausted from lack of sleep, at least they had finally arrived: a journey of several months condensed to less than one.
Apparently assuming Tae asleep, the rider did not disturb his passenger. Tae watched the young man dismount and head toward the palace guards, his movements slow, deliberate, and weighted with fatigue. *We're here?* Imorelda yawned and stretched across Tae's lap. *We're here.* Tae had no interest in the customary formalities that had to follow. The guards would inform the proper dignitaries, who would have to leave their comfortable beds to tend to a royal guest. Procedures would require following, servants would be roused to handle him, and all of it demanded a politeness his tired mind could barely muster. All Tae really wished to do was sleep.*I'm going in the hard way.* He chose the words for Imorelda's sake. To him, suffering through the official procedure was the most difficult and tedious way of all.*You coming with me?*
Imorelda leaped lightly from the cart.*No, thank you. I'd rather not get shot off the castle walls.* She gave her left leg a thorough lick.*If you sur vive, I'll meet you inside.* She trotted toward the main gate, one more cat amidst hundreds. *Thanks.* Creeping alone into the night shadows, Tae approached the outer wall of the castle and listened for the footsteps of the booted guards on top. At length, one approached, heels clicking against stone. Tae waited until the man had fully passed, then clambered up the stones like a spider, flung himself over, and clung to the other side. Already accustomed to the darkness, his eyes adjusted easily to the courtyard. He had not visited Bearn in years, yet it had changed little. The flower beds and vegetable gardens had shifted a bit, and a new guardhouse had joined the old near the north tower. Otherwise, it looked as he remembered it. The only movement he saw was cats slinking through the vines and pathways; the only voices came from the front gates, where the rider announced his imminent arrival to the waiting sentries. The overpowering, distinctive odor of feline assailed his nostrils.