Hearts and Stones - Robin D. Owens Page 0,36

to help him teleport. The man carried it and the fact he did pleased Ash.

But as they walked, he caught the muttering and murmuring and ... scent ... of something stirring of note to Downwind folk. Not just this Holly noble who’d shown up for a third night running, but other outsiders lurking around where they shouldn’t be.

Ash slid soft-footed around the crumbling corner of a gray brick building. Across a dirty open rectangular space -- cleared because buildings fell down, not planned like the rest of Druida City -- a man in dark green stood arrogantly. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword -- blade too long for the guy, looked too thin, too. Since such a narrow sheath could hold it, a rapier for noble duels, not a broadsword for fighting ... Rand stopped thinking of the quality of the weapon and stared at the man he’d seen twice before in the worst moments of his life.

His gorge rose as terror flashed through him, then subsided into a burning anger. The man was older, of course. Not a young man now, but in the prime of his life.

All the better to hate. Since his mouth went iron-blood tang, Ash knew his emotions affected all his senses.

His breathing sped to rapid, his brain sharpened. Felt no fever now.

This terrible man, awful enemy. He’d been the one to oversee the killing of the Ash Family, the destruction of T’Ash Residence -- an intelligent house -- with a firebomb spell. A horrible fire that ate everything down to nothing once it caught.

Ash had watched his Family die, his beautiful mother turning back to be with his stricken father and his trapped brothers. He’d been six years old.

A few days later, he’d seen this man when his underlings had tracked Ash Downwind. With Zanth’s help, Ash escaped.

This man with the surname of Rue. The son and heir of the GrandLord Rue.

The Family who had claimed all the estates and riches the Ashes had held.

Now this enemy returned Downwind.

Maybe the Rue had followed the Holly, hearing rumors of the young man’s death duels and maybe even that Ash had helped Holm. Maybe the Rue wanted to kill the Holly for evil purposes of his own, his Family’s.

But Ash figured the Rue’d want to use fights to destroy the last Ash. An Ash who was supposed to have died with the rest of his Family a decade ago -- Rand’s being alive a secret only he and Zanth and the Rues knew.

Yeah, use those death duels to kill Ash.

But the last Ash could damn well turn tables on Rue and do the same. Use the fights as cover to remove an enemy.

Ash found himself smiling with bared teeth. He wasn’t six anymore. He’d grown big and strong, and practiced blacksmithing more than crafting little jewelry pieces. Eying the evil man, Ash figured he would have no problem breaking his neck. No, too quick. Breaking his spine. Maybe a femur or two ....

Zanth hissed, swatted Ash’s leg, BAD Man who tried to hurt Me long ago.

Yes, Ash sent back mentally.

We will get HIM this time! Zanth sounded as bloodthirsty as Ash felt. The cat padded forward on quiet paws, slunk around the buildings forming the edge of the rectangular area. Ash wasn’t certain whether the FamCat could actually kill a human or not, he’d discouraged that. The notion appealed, but not quite as much as dueling with the man.

Though this Rue would be only the first on Ash’s Vengeance Stalk. One of the main players, like GrandLord Flametree who’d created and sold the firebomb spell, but Rand Ash must take down both Families, neutralize the whole GrandHouse Rue, as they’d done with his.

Take back his property and his wealth and his title.

Patience and strategy.

With a shriek, Zanth launched himself at the man, who jumped away. “What the hell is that?” he cried out.

“Cat,” said a man who’d blended into the shadows.

“Some stupid Lord and Lady bedamned feral Downwind slum cat,” the Rue sneered. “None of our concern. Let’s talk, you can tell me what you learned this evening.” With a gesture the noble commanded the other, probably a minor member of his Family, to accompany him as he strode across the open space to the nicest tavern Downwind.

Zanth sat on the stone flagstones, tail thrashing. He doesn’t remember ME?

Doesn’t sound like it, Ash said mentally. The Rue’s mistake that Zanth would correct sooner rather than later, Rand figured.

Meanwhile light laughter drifted from a