Silence blanketed the group, all eyes turning toward the Splinter, waiting for an answer.
She shifted nervously and wrapped an arm across her torso to drape her orange shawl over her shoulder.
“Give the woman a chance to speak.” Jacob climbed the first step. “I think you’ll find what she has to say very interesting.”
“Not here.” Juna looked to the sky. “After we’ve tended the horses we’ll come inside. We can discuss matters there.”
“I agree,” said Gregory. “Vile’s spies are everywhere.”
“Very good.” Jacob turned to Delphina. “Could we get refreshments, my dear?”
“Of course.” Delphina turned to go inside.
“I would like to assist—if you will allow it,” Fatima said.
“I’ll take any help I can get when it comes to this lot.” Delphina bustled inside with Fatima gliding gracefully behind her.
“First Ravyn adopts Delphina, and now it appears the Splinter has taken Juna up on her offer for aid.” Rhys smirked. “It seems you sisters have a penchant for collecting strays.”
“I haven’t collected any strays,” Meran said, turning her horse in the direction of the stables.
Luc snorted. “Perhaps you’re forgetting about your banished demon who lurks somewhere beyond the wards.”
Meran sniffed and lifted her chin an inch. “Icarus is not my demon. He’s Gregory’s brother.”
Jacob’s mouth dropped open, his eyes leveling on Gregory. “What’s this about Icarus?”
“Yes, it appears the heir to the Bringer throne is a Bane,” Gregory said.
“Well, you know what they say.” Luc slapped him on the back. “You can’t pick your family.”
“Thank you, Luc.” Gregory tugged his horse forward. “That’s not very comforting.”
After the horses had been taken care of, the Bringers assembled back in the Great Hall. Siban took his place next to Rell and slid his hand onto her knee. Her hand slid over his and curled around his fingers.
They’d been out of the Shadow World for a little over a day and now that they were back at the manor and some of the worry over their situation had calmed, his mind turned to more enjoyable activities.
Last night had been a true test of his self-control. To let Rell sleep after that dinner had taken every shred of willpower he could muster. But they’d both needed it and he’d promised himself the next time he made love to her it would not be rushed. They’d yet to share an entire night together when more pressing matters hadn’t invaded their thoughts and put them on edge. Tonight he would share with Rell the full experience of what happened between a man and a woman.
Siban shifted his attention to the problem at hand, a Splinter among them. Instead of taking his place at the front of the table as he usually did, Gregory scooted onto the end of the wooden bench next to Magnus. Siban couldn’t help but notice that the man looked tired. He couldn’t blame him. What they’d gone through in the Shadow World was a lot to contend with but to find out that your brother had been a Demon Bane for the last thousand years must be difficult to reconcile.
His thoughts turned to Icarus. What was to be done about him? Though his opinion about the demon’s motives had changed after he had saved Rell and confronted Vile, Siban still didn’t trust him. From his time in the Shadow World and the torture inflicted upon him, he’d tasted the strength of the darkness that Bane used to control those they dominated. But his respect for Icarus had increased. If the demon could truly be healed, he would have accomplished the impossible—keeping the suffocating black evil at bay for a millennia.
The Bringers drank deep of the ale Delphina and Fatima had delivered, waiting for Gregory to speak. Jacob presented two stools for the women to sit on.
“I’ve got things to do in the kitchen,” Delphina said, waving away the offer.
“Sit.” Jacob gripped her arm and gently led her to the stool. “This concerns you as well.”
She glanced at the Bringers as if asking permission.
“He’s right,” Rhys said. “You and your children are part of our group and fall under our protection. As such you deserve to know where things stand and what to expect.”
Delphina smoothed her hands down the front of her skirt and sat next to Fatima. The two women exchanged worried glances.
The rest of the Bringers took their places at the table but didn’t speak, waiting for Gregory to begin.
He released a soul weary sigh. “First, Jacob, please introduce our new guest and explain why we now seem to have a Splinter in residence.”
Before Jacob could speak, Juna cut him off. “I’ll do the honors.” She sat across from Gregory, but turned her body to face the woman. “Her name is Fatima. She has a child. We caught her sneaking out of the Council Chamber when we stopped at Illuma Grand on the way to the Shadow World. She said she had been invited there to dance for Fromme Bagita, but in reality she was sent there by Vile and Sha-hera to search for immortal weapons, which she did not find.” Juna’s tone was matter of fact. She cocked her head to the side. “Did I leave anything out?”
Fatima held her gaze for several seconds before lowering her eyes to her lap. “You left out that I no longer wish to serve the Bane.”
“Why not?” Rell asked. She tapped her index finger with a steady beat against the wood of the table. “Why should we believe you?
The woman toyed with the fringe on her orange shawl. “I know you can read me.” She tapped her chin, indicating Rell’s Tell tattoo. “There are enough of you to know whether or not I am lying when I say I no longer serve Sha-hera and Vile.”
“And again I’ll ask, why?” Rell said.
Fatima took a deep breath. “After you found me at Illuma Grand, I began to think about what you said—that Sha-hera would take my child anyway no matter what I did for her.”
“At the time you didn’t seem to believe me.” Rell’s tapping stopped. “What changed your mind?”
“She came to me again.” Despite the intense stares of the Bringers, the woman didn’t quell under their scrutiny. “This time her orders were more—demanding.”
Gregory cupped his hands around his mug and leaned forward, his gaze narrowing. “What did she want you to do?”
“She demanded that I gather the Splinters from my clan, and said I should send messengers to other clans. They are to occupy cities around Itta, Alba, and Faela.”
“For what purpose?” Juna asked. “After what I’ve seen in the Shadow World, Vile doesn’t needs the Splinters to battle for him.”
“I don’t believe Sha-hera speaks for Vile any longer. She seemed angry, saying we were to report only to her.” Fatima shook her head. “Then she told me that I, along with the women of my clan, were to travel north and meet her at the boundaries of the Frost Lands, a town called Pillager’s Peak. That’s when I realized the price she demanded I pay for her protection was too steep.”
“The Frost Lands?” Rhys asked. “What purpose would she have there?”
“I asked, but all she said was that I should ask fewer questions and to make sure I was at Pillager’s Point in three weeks’ time.” Fatima was silent for a few seconds, her hand still toying with the fringe on her shawl. “But before Sha-hera left she said something about Vile’s precious cargo.”
Furtive glances ricocheted between the Bringers.
“And she did not say what this cargo was?” Gregory asked.
“No.” Fatima smoothed her hands over her knees. “I was too scared to push for more information. But when I got back to camp I gathered our belongings and my daughter and traveled here.” She lowered her gaze to her lap again. “When I danced for Fromme, I was able to—coax information about the Bringers from him. That’s how I knew to come here.”