Free The Oathbound by Mercedes Lackey Page B

but—”
    “The—bond, the she‘enedran-oath we swore to each other—it was Goddess-blessed. So if anything happens to one of us—”
    “Ah—the other knows. Ikan and I have something of the kind, but we’re spell-bound and we had it done a-purpose; useful when scouting. Sit. Put your head between your knees. I’ll get Ikan. He knows a bit more about leechcraft and magery than I.”
    Tarma let him ease her down to the ice-covered doorstep, and did as she was told. The frosted stone was very cold beneath her rump, but the cold seemed to shake some of the dizziness away, getting her head down did a bit more. Just as her head began to clear, there were returning footsteps, and two pairs of booted feet appeared beside her.
    “Drink this—” Ikan hunched on his heels beside her as she cautiously raised her head; he was holding out a small wooden bottle, and his whole posture showed concern. “Just a swallow; it’s only for emergencies.”
    She took a gingerly mouthful, and was glad she’d been cautious. The stuff burned all the way down her gullet, but left a clear head and renewed energy behind it.
    “Goddess—oh, Goddess, I have to—” she started to rise, but Justin’s hands on her shoulders prevented her.
    “You have to stay right where you are. You want to get yourself killed?” Ikan asked soberly. “You’re a professional, Shin‘a’in—act like one.”
    “All right,” Justin said calmly, as she sank back to the stone. “Something’s happened to your oathsister. Any clue as to what—”
    “—or who?” Ikan finished. “Or why? You’re not rich enough to ransom, and too new in Mornedealth to have acquired enemies.”
    “Why and who—I’ve got a damn good idea,” Tarma replied grimly, and told them, in brief, Kethry’s history
    “Gods, how am I to get her away from them? I don’t know where to look, and even if I did, what’s one sword against what Wethes can hire?” she finished in despair. “Why, oh why didn’t I listen to her?”
    “Kavin—Kavinestral—hmmm,” Justin mused. “Now that sounds familiar.”
    “It bloody well should,” Ikan replied, stoppering his precious bottle tightly and tucking it inside his tunic. “He heads the Blue faction.”
    “The—what?” Tarma blinked at him in bewilderment.
    “There are five factions among the wilder offspring of the Fifty; Blue, Green, Red, Yellow, and Black. They started out as racing clubs, but it’s gotten down to a nastier level than that within the last few years,” Ikan told her. “Duels in plenty, one or two deaths. Right now only two factions are strong enough to matter; Blue and Green. Kavin heads the Blues; a fellow called Helansevrith heads Green. They’ve been eyeblinks away from each other’s throats for years, and the only thing that has kept them from taking each other on, is that Kavin is essentially a coward. He’d rather get his followers to do his dirty work for him. He makes a big pose of being a tough, but he’s never personally taken anyone out. Mostly that doesn’t matter, since he’s got his followers convinced.”
    He stood up, offering his hand to Tarma. “I can give you a quick guess who could find out where Kethry is, because I know where Wethes won’t take her. He won’t dare take her to his home, is servants would see and gossip. He won’t risk that, because the tale he’s given out all these years is that Kethry is very shy and has been staying in seclusion on his country estate. No, he’ll take her to his private brothel; I know he has one, I just don’t know where. But Justin’s got a friend who could tell us.”
    “That she could—and be happy to. Any harm she could bring that man would make her right glad.” Even in the dim light from the torch over the door Tarma could see that Justin looked grim.
    “How do you know all this about Wethes and Kavin?” Tarma looked from one to the other of them.
    “Because, Swordlady,” Ikan’s mouth stretched in something that