Keegan’s horses struggled to untie themselves from a tree.
Keegan brandished a sword and Ula gripped her mule rock ribbon, clearly ready to use it as a weapon if she was made to. She was murmuring something that Ronan could only guess was some kind of protective spell. He prayed that someone heard her voice. One of the centaurs was bleeding and he saw that Keegan’s sword showed evidence of a strike. They were doing all they could to protect Arien. Thick emotion tore through Ronan and pushed him to kick Ahearn forward, raising the sword.
“If you make me use this, I will be the next King of Meris and you can be sure the lives you live now will seem like that of royalty for I will make everyone of your kind into the kind of slaves you could not even imagine.” Ronan’s voice lifted, bounced off the trees around them with conviction. Every one of them looked at him as Ahearn neared.
“ You are the blacksmith.” Bryan shifted his stance, staring at Ronan.
“I am also a royal guard and you may name me king in a few moments.” Ronan met Bryan’s eyes. “I am not like the boy. I do not bluff and I will kill the lot of you if I must.” Bryan’s blue eyes widened and Ronan could read easily that the centaur knew he spoke the truth. Ahearn pranced a little as if liking the prospect of a fight but neither Ronan’s gaze nor balance wavered.
“Not before we kill them first.” Bryan nodded to Arien and one of the centaurs lifted a hoof to hover above the boy’s head. Ronan knew Bryan saw his body stiffen. He hadn’t expected the man to use the boy against him. It had been stupid to think he wouldn’t.
“You made a mistake, blacksmith. You came back for those you cared for. It is true you have the weapon, but you give us one of our own to use. And we will use it.”
Bryan took a step forward when Ronan’s eyes darted to Arien. “This is not what I want. We are not a violent people. I can see that you are the same. Merisgale will not know that you gave the sword to me. They will think you were ambushed. The boy has injuries. They will not question your word. Go back to your forge and leave this to us.”
“I understand you more than you know, centaur, but I cannot do what you ask of me.” Ronan felt as if he were being torn. His heart pounded at the choice that was left to him. His hatred for the sword deepened.
“But no one need ever know what happens here,” Bryan insisted, stamping a hoof against the road and creating a cloud of dust. The movement brought Ahearn moving forward without Ronan’s command. But the horse did not charge and Ronan gave Ahearn’s reins a slight tug to remind him to wait.
“ I will know.” Ronan’s eyes slid from Arien to rest on the centaur. “I did not want this obligation but it is mine. And those three are my responsibility as well. I was paid to make this sword for the wizard Thestian. The weapon belongs to him.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Keegan’s head snap around. No doubt the horseman was surprised that Ronan had included him in those he would fight for. Ronan realized in that instant that Keegan had known the suspicion Ronan had felt toward him the day before. He would right his mistake. Keegan would know that Ronan would never doubt him again.
“Very well, blacksmith,” Bryan said sadly, looking back to the one who waited for command. “Do it.” Ula screamed.
It was a sound that Ronan was certain if one note higher would make a man’s ears bleed. And it stopped everyone, causing them to look at her. Her shoulders were squared, thrown back and her dark eyes looked like dangerous wells of evil. Overhead, the skies suddenly darkened, drew black clouds from every direction. Wind tore at the trees, bent them with little effort and for once Ronan saw the true power of the healer.
She had hidden this side of herself, allowing Ronan only to see her as a bothersome woman, perhaps even as mad. But Ula Baen was more than that and anyone who looked at
Keegan brandished a sword and Ula gripped her mule rock ribbon, clearly ready to use it as a weapon if she was made to. She was murmuring something that Ronan could only guess was some kind of protective spell. He prayed that someone heard her voice. One of the centaurs was bleeding and he saw that Keegan’s sword showed evidence of a strike. They were doing all they could to protect Arien. Thick emotion tore through Ronan and pushed him to kick Ahearn forward, raising the sword.
“If you make me use this, I will be the next King of Meris and you can be sure the lives you live now will seem like that of royalty for I will make everyone of your kind into the kind of slaves you could not even imagine.” Ronan’s voice lifted, bounced off the trees around them with conviction. Every one of them looked at him as Ahearn neared.
“ You are the blacksmith.” Bryan shifted his stance, staring at Ronan.
“I am also a royal guard and you may name me king in a few moments.” Ronan met Bryan’s eyes. “I am not like the boy. I do not bluff and I will kill the lot of you if I must.” Bryan’s blue eyes widened and Ronan could read easily that the centaur knew he spoke the truth. Ahearn pranced a little as if liking the prospect of a fight but neither Ronan’s gaze nor balance wavered.
“Not before we kill them first.” Bryan nodded to Arien and one of the centaurs lifted a hoof to hover above the boy’s head. Ronan knew Bryan saw his body stiffen. He hadn’t expected the man to use the boy against him. It had been stupid to think he wouldn’t.
“You made a mistake, blacksmith. You came back for those you cared for. It is true you have the weapon, but you give us one of our own to use. And we will use it.”
Bryan took a step forward when Ronan’s eyes darted to Arien. “This is not what I want. We are not a violent people. I can see that you are the same. Merisgale will not know that you gave the sword to me. They will think you were ambushed. The boy has injuries. They will not question your word. Go back to your forge and leave this to us.”
“I understand you more than you know, centaur, but I cannot do what you ask of me.” Ronan felt as if he were being torn. His heart pounded at the choice that was left to him. His hatred for the sword deepened.
“But no one need ever know what happens here,” Bryan insisted, stamping a hoof against the road and creating a cloud of dust. The movement brought Ahearn moving forward without Ronan’s command. But the horse did not charge and Ronan gave Ahearn’s reins a slight tug to remind him to wait.
“ I will know.” Ronan’s eyes slid from Arien to rest on the centaur. “I did not want this obligation but it is mine. And those three are my responsibility as well. I was paid to make this sword for the wizard Thestian. The weapon belongs to him.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Keegan’s head snap around. No doubt the horseman was surprised that Ronan had included him in those he would fight for. Ronan realized in that instant that Keegan had known the suspicion Ronan had felt toward him the day before. He would right his mistake. Keegan would know that Ronan would never doubt him again.
“Very well, blacksmith,” Bryan said sadly, looking back to the one who waited for command. “Do it.” Ula screamed.
It was a sound that Ronan was certain if one note higher would make a man’s ears bleed. And it stopped everyone, causing them to look at her. Her shoulders were squared, thrown back and her dark eyes looked like dangerous wells of evil. Overhead, the skies suddenly darkened, drew black clouds from every direction. Wind tore at the trees, bent them with little effort and for once Ronan saw the true power of the healer.
She had hidden this side of herself, allowing Ronan only to see her as a bothersome woman, perhaps even as mad. But Ula Baen was more than that and anyone who looked at
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