Geoffrey caught her, a split second before Minerva and all her band fell upon them with an outraged shout—and slammed full into an unseen wall, then fell back from it in a tangle.
Cordelia passed a hand over Quicksilver's face, and the warrior woman blinked, squinting her eyes against the light. "Have I slept?"
"In a manner," Cordelia said.
Quicksilver looked about her as though trying to gain her bearings. "I remember a witches' fight ... a rose, and a vase..." She turned her head and saw Geoffrey's face only inches from her own. Her eyes went wide, held for a half a minute, then looked away and saw that he held her in his arms.
With a howl, she leaped free and stood, breast heaving, glaring from Cordelia to Geoffrey and back. "How did you do that to me!"
"By finding a certain place to push, within your brain," Cordelia told her.
"I must learn it!"
"I will not teach it to one who means to use it for war." Cordelia's tone was iron. "It is healer's knowledge, used to render a person senseless when the healing will cause some minutes of great pain. If you wish to learn it, you must wish to become a healer."
"Why, so I do," Quicksilver said slowly, "as yourself has seen, when together we tended the wounded. But I will not forswear weapons for that."
"Nor have I," Cordelia assured her. "But I shall try your dedication sorely, before I give you such a tool for death as the knowledge of life."
"Oh, will you! And what healing were you doing on me, then?"
"None, I fear," Cordelia sighed, "but I had hoped to. Brother, I must leave her in your hands—I can do no more."
"You have done quite enough!" Minerva snapped. "Aye, too much." Quicksilver turned slowly to Geoffrey. "And do you have this knowledge she has used here?"
"Not I," Geoffrey said, "for it is even as she has said—healer's knowledge. I know where to press within the mind and body for acts of war, but not for those of peace."
Quicksilver frowned, looking very closely into his eyes. "Why have you not practiced that knowledge upon me, then?"
"Why," Geoffrey said softly, "I would have you come with me willingly and by your own choice, not through threat of torment."
Quicksilver froze, still staring at him as the color drained from her face.
Then she turned back to Cordelia. "Have you tried to heal him, then?"
"Many times," Cordelia sighed, "though to no avail. I fear that must wait for a lass who is far more woman than I, and not his sister, to boot."
Alain stepped up to curve an arm around her. "If she were more woman than you, she would imperil a whole country!"
"'Tis good of you to say so, my love." Cordelia caught his armand held it tight. "But I have never yearned to imperil anyone, only to aid and nurture them."
"This, in spite of all the havoc you have wrought," he said fondly, and kissed her hair.
Cordelia shrugged impatiently. "I have a temper." Quicksilver stood rigid, watching this fond play with a face of stone. Minerva glanced at her with concern.
"It is truly a matter of what one does wish to be," Cordelia informed Quicksilver, "though far more, I suspect, of what one truly is."
"As you are truly my prisoner," Geoffrey said, touching her hand ever so lightly. She quivered; then her head snapped around to glare at him. "Truly my prisoner," he said again, "though I have sought to be as gentle as I can in showing you that. Come, let us do no more harm to one another, nor to your folk—and let us go to the King and Queen, as you have promised."
"Aye, I gave my word," she grated, "but if there is a duke in Castle Loguire again, ought I not go to him first? My band and I live within his demesne. Surely 'tis his right to speak sentence upon me before the Crown does."
A murmur of approval went through the outlaws, but Geoffrey frowned, suddenly anxious.
"Bravely spoken, and well said!" Alain cried heartily. "'Tis even so—you should present your case before your Duke, and go to their Majesties only if you do not accept his justice!"
Geoffrey darted a quick look at Alain, and whatever he saw there must have reassured him, for he turned back to Quicksilver and said, "To Castle Loguire, then. Come, bid your band disperse once more."
"What good will that do?" she demanded.
"For the sake of form, at least," he said, somewhat exasperated. "It is for form's sake that you wish to go to Duke Loguire, is it not? Go bid them disperse!"
Quicksilver flashed him a quick look of amusement. "Why, as you will have it, Sir Knight." She stepped forward, held up her hands, and began to proclaim.
Geoffrey drew Alain aside. "You are sure that this is not the height of folly?"
"Trust our new Duke Diarmid," Alain said complacently.
"And trust your own heart," Cordelia said severely. "Brother, if you let this one get away, you will not only be a fool, but also a miserable and lonely one all your days, no matter how many women you cozen into your bed!"
"I do not doubt the truth of your words," Geoffrey told her. "But it seems I must save her before I can woo herand before I can save her, I must bring her to Diarmid."
"I did not mean to keep her from escaping prison," Cordelia said tartly.
"I know that well, sister—but for once, I am not sure of victory."
"Are you not, then?" Alain said, with a merry glance. "I am not," Geoffrey said grimly. "Her body, I know I can capture—but not her heart."
"Trust to truth for that," Cordelia told him. "Why, so I do," Geoffrey said, "but will she?"
Quicksilver changed back into her own clothing, returning the finery to the maiden whose place she had taken with apologies for the sword rents. The girl assured her the damage did not matter, then embraced her in a profusion of thanks. Somewhat dazed, Quicksilver rode out of Aunriddy beside Geoffrey.
"Surely you are used to the thanks of the people whom you have aided," he said.
"Well, aye, though never before have I had such an explosion of gratitude," Quicksilver explained.
"Have you ever before plucked a maiden from the dragon's jaws?"
"Nay." Quicksilver pursed her lips, considering, then shook her head. "I have not. It has always been at least a day before the deed would have been done, and the women have come to me for sanctuary and shelter. There have been some freed from impending doom by my taking a shire-reeve's house or Count Laeg's castle, but it was never so immediate as this."
Geoffrey smiled. "Sometimes the heart can be over whelming, even from those whose minds are locked within their skulls."
"Aye." Quicksilver turned to him with a frown. "Which reminds me, sir, to rebuke you for your bullying!"
"Bullying?" Geoffrey stared. "I have won your surrender in fair fight!"
"Is it fair," she said hotly, "when you are a warlock as well as a warrior?"
"Aye, when I fight a witch who bears a sword and knows the use of it!"
"But you know the use of the powers of your mind," she countered. "You have been trained in their use, as I was trained to the staff and the sword. Nay, I did not see how uneven was the match till I stood against your sister! Oh, if only I had been taught as she had, I could have bested her easily!"
Now Geoffrey did feel anger—not for himself, but for Cordelia. "Oh, could you indeed! Do you truly think your mind is so strong as that?"
"Stronger than yours," she said flatly. "Fight me mind to mind, Sir Knight, and you will find that though your body may be stronger than mine, your thoughts are not!"
"When we fought with swords, my greater strength was of little moment; it was skill against skill," he told her. "Naetheless, I am not minded to turn away from a challenge. If you truly think you can overwhelm my mind by strength of thought alone, then strike!"