son of an Icarii Enchanter while you, you…‖ Axis smiled at her. ―While you have been running
about with an Avar Bane named Raum, have you not?‖
Faraday gaped in surprise. ―How did you know that?‖
―I met him in Smyrton—but that‘s a story that will have to wait. No, never fear, Raum
and the girl are well and are now in their homeland.‖
Faraday walked over to the bed, shifting the mattress back onto the springs and sitting
down. ―I owe you some brief explanation, Axis Icariison,‖ she said mischievously. ―If you know
enough that Belial is already calling you the StarMan then you must know of the Sentinels?‖
Axis nodded. ―Of course. Ogden and Veremund.‖
Faraday laughed in anticipation of the shock she was about to give him. ―And Jack the
pig herder who you noticed about the Silent Woman Woods, and that white cat that followed you
about everywhere! She is now masquerading as my maid, Yr.‖
But Axis did not laugh as she expected. ―Two Sentinels spirited you away from me at the
Barrows?‖
Faraday nodded. ―And helped me here.‖ She dared not think what he would do if she told
Axis that the Sentinels had virtually forced her to honour her vows when she was thinking of
breaking them and following Axis. Still, Faraday knew she had done the right thing. Borneheld
was currently so jealous of Axis and his reputation among both regular army and Axe-Wielders
that only Faraday‘s whispered endearments and entreaties kept Borneheld from seizing the
nearest axe or sword and hurling it between Axis‘ shoulder-blades the moment his back was
turned. However much it cost her in personal happiness she knew that she was daily saving Axis
from death. If only Axis could now be kept from Borneheld‘s throat.
Axis did not notice her introspection. ―What does it mean, Faraday, when the Prophecy
tells us that power will one day corrupt their hearts? Will they betray me?‖ Now that the talk had
turned to the Sentinels Axis once again began to worry about the Prophecy and its hidden
meanings.
―Oh, Axis, surely not! The Sentinels are the only ones who can guide us at the moment!‖
And yet they are couched about with as many riddles as the Prophecy is, Axis thought.
He walked over to the fireplace, studying the intricate pattern of the bricks. ―We have both been
caught by this Prophecy, Faraday. Pray only that it will one day let us plan our own lives,‖ he
said softly.
Faraday did not like the morbid turn of conversation. ―What did you come here for, Axis?
I had no idea you were going to walk this far when I followed you from the fort. And you met
Brother Francis here?‖
Axis held out his hand. ―Let me show you what I have come here for.‖
Faraday stood and took his hand, hesitating slightly. ―You are safe with me,‖ Axis said
good-humouredly, ―I have another woman on my mind now.‖
Faraday looked at him, puzzled, as he led her to the dark corner where the fireplace and
its mantel cast a deep shadow. ―I was born in this room, Faraday. Perhaps it still contains
memories of my birth. Come, stand close beside me.‖ He slipped his arm about her waist and
pulled her in close to his body so that they were both enclosed in the shadow. ―Whatever
happens, Faraday, do not make a sound. Now, let me make some Icarii magic for you.‖
For a moment he did nothing, and Faraday glanced up at his face. His eyes were focused
on the bed pushed against the far wall, remembering the tune he had sung on the roof of Sigholt.
Then he began to sing, very slowly, very softly, strange words and music that all ran together
until the melody began to spin in Faraday‘s head. She closed her eyes and leaned in against his
body, listening to the enchanted music he spun about her.
Her eyes flew open at the low but agonised groan of a woman. The room was now
night-darkened and lit by two candles, one on the mantel above the fire, the other on the stool by
the foot of the bed.
A woman writhed on the bed, her slender arms raised behind her to grasp the iron railings
of the bedhead. Her long auburn hair, loosely plaited, was dark and dank with sweat. Her face
was turned away from them towards the wall, but Faraday did not have to see it to know who it
was. Rivkah. She wore a light linen nightgown, once white, now stained with sweat and blood.
She was struggling to give birth, her nightgown pulled to her hips over the mound of her belly,
her legs raised and bent so that her feet pushed against the mattress every time she was
convulsed with a contraction. Two women, middle-aged and dressed in dark dresses and
black-weave aprons, huddled at the foot of the bed, their faces lined with worry, their eyes
anxious.
Axis‘ arm tightened about her waist and Faraday leaned closer and wrapped her own
arms about him, lending him her support as he watched his mother struggle to give birth to him.
He had stopped singing now, and was only humming the melody in broken snatches.
The door opened next to them and Faraday only just managed to stifle her gasp of
surprise. How it was that none in the room saw them, she was not sure. A tall and powerfully
built man, heavily bearded, strode through the door and over to the bed. He stood watching the
woman writhe for a moment.
―My Lord Duke,‖ both the midwives gasped, standing back from the bed.
―How goes it?‖ he asked. ―How goes the lady bitch my wife giving birth to her fatherless
son of the night?‖
The midwives exchanged worried glances. What did he want to be told? Finally the older
woman, the senior midwife, spoke as Searlas shot a hard glance their way. ―The babe sits
wrongly in the womb, Lord Duke. He is twisted about so that his hip blocks the birth canal. We
cannot turn him. Your wife has laboured now for close on two days. She cannot go on much
longer.‖
It wasn‘t until the midwife addressed the Duke, that Faraday remembered that Rivkah
was the previous Duchess of Ichtar; and the man was her father-in-law, Searlas. Then, as it had
her marriage night, the ruby ring pinched her finger. This line deserves to die with Borneheld,
Faraday thought very clearly, then blinked, startled. Where had that thought come from? Why
did Borneheld‘s line deserve to die with him? Why did her ring bite so?
Rivkah looked at her husband. Hate and loathing twisted her lovely face. ―I curse the day
I agreed to marry you, Searlas. I am glad I dishonoured your name!‖ A moan escaped her as
another pain wracked her body.
―Bitch!‖ Searlas spat. ―You die the death of a careless whore, Rivkah. Wonder, while you
lie dying, if your lover was worth your life.‖
―Twice and twice over,‖ Rivkah whispered fiercely. ―I would die a hundred deaths for
one more hour cradled in his arms!‖
Searlas cursed Rivkah so foully that the midwives blanched. Then he leant down and
seized her left hand, tearing a ring from her heart finger. ―Then give me back what is mine and
Ichtar‘s,‖ he said harshly. Faraday caught a glimpse of the ring he held; it was the same one she now wore. The Duke turned to the midwives, pocketing the ring. ―I care not if they both die.
Don‘t save them for my sake.‖
Then he was gone. The door slammed behind him so hard it reverberated on its hinges.
The older of the two women, the one who had spoken to Duke Searlas, sat down beside
Rivkah on the bed. She took Rivkah‘s hand and spoke softly but urgently. ―Lady, we can still
save your life. Let us dismember the babe. He is surely dead already. If we can remove him from
your womb then you will live.‖ Her voice broke. ―Please, let us do this for you!‖
Rivkah hauled herself up from the bed and fastened her free hand into the startled
woman‘s hair. ―If you do a single thing to harm the baby I will come back from the grave to
haunt you and yours for eternity. Do you understand me? You will do nothing to hurt the baby!‖
The frightened woman nodded. ―Then try to turn him again,‖ Rivkah grated, ―try, damn
you!‖ The midwife knelt down at the end of the bed and took a deep breath.
The next few minutes were a nightmare. Rivkah‘s screams echoed about the chamber
until it seemed there was no escaping them. Faraday felt Axis‘ whole body convulse in her arms
in sympathy with his mother‘s agony and Faraday held him as tightly as she could, trying to
block the tormented woman‘s cries from her own ears against his chest.