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Authors: Cinda Williams Chima
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spoken. obviously, raisa wasn’t going to be allowed any time for hand-wringing. “Just what you and i were carrying. our best bet is to get through the pass and push on to Marisa pines Camp as quickly as we can.”
And that is just what those hunting us will expect us to do, raisa thought.
“now, about weaponry,” Byrne said. “As i recall, you are a fair shot with a bow.” He put his hand on raisa’s bow, which was laid out next to him.
raisa nodded. it was no time for false modesty. “i’m good with a bow, though i’ve not tried that one. it seems a good size and weight for me, though.”
“Are you any good with a sword?”
“i . . . Amon’s worked me hard at swords these past months,” raisa said. “But it’s not my strong suit.”
“Try this one.” He extended his sword toward her, hilt-first.
raisa stood, gripping the hilt with both hands. it was fashioned to represent the Sword of Hanalea, the signia of the Queen’s Guard. The cross-guard was cast in heavy metal, to resemble the rippling tresses of the Lady, and the pommel was the figure of the Lady herself.
it was nearly too heavy for her to lift, even with both hands.
Shaking her head ruefully, she handed it back and sat down again.
“i’m much safer with this in your hands than in mine. it’s lovely, though. The workmanship is exquisite. is this a family heirloom?” Byrne cleared his throat. “The queen—your mother—had it made for me when i . . . at the time of her coronation. when i 58
A w e L C o M e H o M e
was made captain. Marianna said it signifies that i hold Hanalea’s true line in my hands.”
His face, weathered by decades of pain, revealed more than he probably intended.
raisa stared at the captain, her mouth slack with surprise.
Byrne looked away quickly, as if he hoped to extinguish that knowledge in her eyes.
He’s in love with her, raisa thought. i’ve been stupid blind not to see it.
raisa recalled what her mother had said when she’d explained why there could never be anything between raisa and Amon.
He’s a soldier , the queen had said, and his father’s a soldier, and his father . . . That’s al they’l ever be.
raisa had come close to making the same mistake herself—
about her mother’s captain. She’d thought of edon Byrne as steady, calm, capable, and practical above all else. not a romantic bone in his body. The Captain Byrne she knew was bluntly honest, not a keeper of secrets.
She’d been wrong about that. She’d been wrong about so many things.
you’ve lived your life with a broken heart, raisa thought, staring at Byrne. So why did you have to break my heart, too?
And before she knew what she was doing, she was speaking aloud. “why did you do it?” she said softly. “why did you take Amon away from me?”
“your Highness,” he said. His expression, his posture, the way he flexed his hands—it all told her to back off. “i don’t know what you mean.”
“i am not going to keep quiet about this just to make it easier 59
T H e G r Ay wo L F T H ro n e
on everyone,” raisa said. “you are stuck here with me, so you may as well talk about it.”
Byrne came forward on his knees and lifted the pot off the flame. “i’d better go out and water the horses,” he said.
“i’ll still be here when you get back,” she said. “we can talk now or after.”
He sighed noisily and set the pot on the fire. Then sat back on his heels. “you are talking about my choosing of Corporal Byrne as your captain, i suppose?” he said.
“i am perfectly satisfied with Amon as my captain,” raisa said. “i am talking about the linking, or—or the binding, or whatever you call it.” She shuddered, recalling how a simple kiss between them had caused Amon excruciating pain. when Byrne said nothing, she added, “why was that necessary? And why has it been such a big secret?”
This is why it’s a secret, Byrne’s expression said. This
And that is just what those hunting us will expect us to do, raisa thought.
“now, about weaponry,” Byrne said. “As i recall, you are a fair shot with a bow.” He put his hand on raisa’s bow, which was laid out next to him.
raisa nodded. it was no time for false modesty. “i’m good with a bow, though i’ve not tried that one. it seems a good size and weight for me, though.”
“Are you any good with a sword?”
“i . . . Amon’s worked me hard at swords these past months,” raisa said. “But it’s not my strong suit.”
“Try this one.” He extended his sword toward her, hilt-first.
raisa stood, gripping the hilt with both hands. it was fashioned to represent the Sword of Hanalea, the signia of the Queen’s Guard. The cross-guard was cast in heavy metal, to resemble the rippling tresses of the Lady, and the pommel was the figure of the Lady herself.
it was nearly too heavy for her to lift, even with both hands.
Shaking her head ruefully, she handed it back and sat down again.
“i’m much safer with this in your hands than in mine. it’s lovely, though. The workmanship is exquisite. is this a family heirloom?” Byrne cleared his throat. “The queen—your mother—had it made for me when i . . . at the time of her coronation. when i 58
A w e L C o M e H o M e
was made captain. Marianna said it signifies that i hold Hanalea’s true line in my hands.”
His face, weathered by decades of pain, revealed more than he probably intended.
raisa stared at the captain, her mouth slack with surprise.
Byrne looked away quickly, as if he hoped to extinguish that knowledge in her eyes.
He’s in love with her, raisa thought. i’ve been stupid blind not to see it.
raisa recalled what her mother had said when she’d explained why there could never be anything between raisa and Amon.
He’s a soldier , the queen had said, and his father’s a soldier, and his father . . . That’s al they’l ever be.
raisa had come close to making the same mistake herself—
about her mother’s captain. She’d thought of edon Byrne as steady, calm, capable, and practical above all else. not a romantic bone in his body. The Captain Byrne she knew was bluntly honest, not a keeper of secrets.
She’d been wrong about that. She’d been wrong about so many things.
you’ve lived your life with a broken heart, raisa thought, staring at Byrne. So why did you have to break my heart, too?
And before she knew what she was doing, she was speaking aloud. “why did you do it?” she said softly. “why did you take Amon away from me?”
“your Highness,” he said. His expression, his posture, the way he flexed his hands—it all told her to back off. “i don’t know what you mean.”
“i am not going to keep quiet about this just to make it easier 59
T H e G r Ay wo L F T H ro n e
on everyone,” raisa said. “you are stuck here with me, so you may as well talk about it.”
Byrne came forward on his knees and lifted the pot off the flame. “i’d better go out and water the horses,” he said.
“i’ll still be here when you get back,” she said. “we can talk now or after.”
He sighed noisily and set the pot on the fire. Then sat back on his heels. “you are talking about my choosing of Corporal Byrne as your captain, i suppose?” he said.
“i am perfectly satisfied with Amon as my captain,” raisa said. “i am talking about the linking, or—or the binding, or whatever you call it.” She shuddered, recalling how a simple kiss between them had caused Amon excruciating pain. when Byrne said nothing, she added, “why was that necessary? And why has it been such a big secret?”
This is why it’s a secret, Byrne’s expression said. This
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