something like this, Finnlay. But you must have known the sentries would wakeme when the girls arrived. I’m sorry I kept you waiting, but I see you’ve already told them what they need to know.’
Martha moved towards him, but Wilf held up his hand, making her pause. ‘I have no intention of disturbing you. I’ve only come to tell Jenn that she must take the oath of allegiance to the Enclave or leave in the morning.’
Finnlay sprang to his feet. ‘No! I will not allow it.’
‘This is none of your business, Finnlay. Well, Jenn? Robert’s been banished from the Enclave – by the Key. We can’t trust him any more and the Key itself has labelled him as our enemy. Where does that leave you? What do you say?’
Jenn stood slowly, but Finnlay didn’t give her a chance to reply. ‘I said no, Wilf. Jenn will not go before the Key and take the oath. If you try and force her, you will have to deal with my sword.’
In Serin’s name, where had this come from? Finnlay stood there, his eyes blazing with a determination she’d only ever seen him use against his brother. Why was he so adamant?
Jenn finally spoke. She came around the table and placed a hand on Finnlay’s arm, ‘It’s all right, Finn. Really.’
‘No, it isn’t. Jenn, trust me on this.’ His intense gaze held her for a moment and then she turned back to Wilf.
‘I’m sorry, but my answer is no. If you object, then I must ask to take it up with the full council.’
‘Really!’ Wilf snapped, his eyes growing cold. ‘Well, you can take it up with them right now. They’re waiting in the chamber as we speak. And you, Finnlay? Don’t think for one moment that your predicament will stop me from banishing you also. One step out of line and you’ll suffer the same fate as your brother – and I won’t care if the Guilde do find you and tear you limb from limb.’ With that, Wilf turned and stamped out of the room.
‘Finnlay,’ Martha breathed, ‘did you have to push him so hard?’
Without speaking, Finnlay stared at the empty doorway, his shoulders stiff and unyielding. Slowly he shook his head and turned back to Jenn. ‘I had no choice. I gave Robert my word.’
*
They were waiting, just as Wilf had promised. This time, Jenn could recognize their faces, pasty with living beneath the ground. A cave life – what kind of life was that? Where was the joy in a summer’s day or the passion of a winter’s storm? These people were immune to those normal pleasures, passing the seasons with an indifference bordering on apathy. Did they have any real idea of what life was like outside? Did they even care?
Jenn didn’t sit down. She didn’t intend to stay long enough. Finnlay closed the door behind her and stood at her side. In profile, he looked so much like his brother she could almost believe it was Robert standing there as he had the first time she’d come into this room. Yet there were differences. Things that ran so deep she was only now beginning to see them. Like Finnlay’s willingness to trust something that he could neither see nor understand. He had placed his faith in Robert and Robert had placed his faith in Jenn.
Who was there left for Jenn to believe in?
‘Have you changed your mind?’ Wilf came straight out on the attack. ‘Or have you let this rebel sway you?’
Immediately, Jenn’s anger got the better of her. ‘Oh, I always let other people make my decisions for me.’
Wilf was not amused, ‘Don’t you dare try that tack with me, child, or I’ll make you very sorry.’
‘What do you want from me?’
Wilf rose from his seat at the end of the table. Placing his hands firmly on its surface, he replied, ‘I want you to take the oath. If you refuse, you will leave here and not return until you do.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I will not be defied any more!’ Wilf slammed his hand down, making the star candle jump. Henry glanced around uneasily, but neither he nor the others said a word. ‘These are matters beyond
Martha moved towards him, but Wilf held up his hand, making her pause. ‘I have no intention of disturbing you. I’ve only come to tell Jenn that she must take the oath of allegiance to the Enclave or leave in the morning.’
Finnlay sprang to his feet. ‘No! I will not allow it.’
‘This is none of your business, Finnlay. Well, Jenn? Robert’s been banished from the Enclave – by the Key. We can’t trust him any more and the Key itself has labelled him as our enemy. Where does that leave you? What do you say?’
Jenn stood slowly, but Finnlay didn’t give her a chance to reply. ‘I said no, Wilf. Jenn will not go before the Key and take the oath. If you try and force her, you will have to deal with my sword.’
In Serin’s name, where had this come from? Finnlay stood there, his eyes blazing with a determination she’d only ever seen him use against his brother. Why was he so adamant?
Jenn finally spoke. She came around the table and placed a hand on Finnlay’s arm, ‘It’s all right, Finn. Really.’
‘No, it isn’t. Jenn, trust me on this.’ His intense gaze held her for a moment and then she turned back to Wilf.
‘I’m sorry, but my answer is no. If you object, then I must ask to take it up with the full council.’
‘Really!’ Wilf snapped, his eyes growing cold. ‘Well, you can take it up with them right now. They’re waiting in the chamber as we speak. And you, Finnlay? Don’t think for one moment that your predicament will stop me from banishing you also. One step out of line and you’ll suffer the same fate as your brother – and I won’t care if the Guilde do find you and tear you limb from limb.’ With that, Wilf turned and stamped out of the room.
‘Finnlay,’ Martha breathed, ‘did you have to push him so hard?’
Without speaking, Finnlay stared at the empty doorway, his shoulders stiff and unyielding. Slowly he shook his head and turned back to Jenn. ‘I had no choice. I gave Robert my word.’
*
They were waiting, just as Wilf had promised. This time, Jenn could recognize their faces, pasty with living beneath the ground. A cave life – what kind of life was that? Where was the joy in a summer’s day or the passion of a winter’s storm? These people were immune to those normal pleasures, passing the seasons with an indifference bordering on apathy. Did they have any real idea of what life was like outside? Did they even care?
Jenn didn’t sit down. She didn’t intend to stay long enough. Finnlay closed the door behind her and stood at her side. In profile, he looked so much like his brother she could almost believe it was Robert standing there as he had the first time she’d come into this room. Yet there were differences. Things that ran so deep she was only now beginning to see them. Like Finnlay’s willingness to trust something that he could neither see nor understand. He had placed his faith in Robert and Robert had placed his faith in Jenn.
Who was there left for Jenn to believe in?
‘Have you changed your mind?’ Wilf came straight out on the attack. ‘Or have you let this rebel sway you?’
Immediately, Jenn’s anger got the better of her. ‘Oh, I always let other people make my decisions for me.’
Wilf was not amused, ‘Don’t you dare try that tack with me, child, or I’ll make you very sorry.’
‘What do you want from me?’
Wilf rose from his seat at the end of the table. Placing his hands firmly on its surface, he replied, ‘I want you to take the oath. If you refuse, you will leave here and not return until you do.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I will not be defied any more!’ Wilf slammed his hand down, making the star candle jump. Henry glanced around uneasily, but neither he nor the others said a word. ‘These are matters beyond
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