Sister of the Dead - By Barb Hendee & J. C. Hendee Page 0,26

hoping Leesil would remain quiet, "we've come to find answers about my mother... and my father. And there's much to tell you—"

"I can see that for myself, girl, " Bieja answered, and folded her hands upon the table.

"I'm not sure where to start, " Magiere continued. "For now, we need to know what you know. Things you might not have told me. Little things that seemed not to matter might help. Especially about my father... anything from the first time you ever saw him. "

Magiere waited as her aunt pondered for a moment.

"Perhaps family matters are best left to family, " she finally said.

"No. " Magiere settled her hand on Leesil's forearm. "They are part of this.... It's not just me anymore. "

Again, Bieja hesitated. "There were three of them. "

"What?"

"I told you... your father took your mother when he first came here as lord of the fief, but three of them came that first night. Two noble... but the last was a masked thing in a char-colored robe. He's the one who maimed Adryan with no more than a slap. "

"Adryan's face?" Magiere asked. "His scars... no one would talk about it. "

"You can blame that on Yoan, " Bieja growled. "Along with the rest of the hog swill poured out over the years. Oh, some truth was well known enough, but he said we'd best keep quiet or invite more misery. And all else that followed, I was forced to obey. " She shook her head and mumbled something under her breath. "Adryan tried to protect your mother. They were betrothed—at least he thought so. "

Magiere sat silent, chilled inside even near the fire. Through the childhood suffering, the one person she had trusted was Bieja, but her aunt had kept secrets.

"What do you mean forced?" she asked. "I've never seen you give in to anyone's wishes unless they fit with your own. "

"I lived in fear for Magelia, " Bieja said. "My sister was my only companion, and they took her. Sometimes servants came and told us stories of her walking in the courtyard, heavy with child, but she was never allowed out, and we weren't allowed in. I tried many times, sneaking as close as I could, but never saw her and got beaten down twice by patrolling guards. The rest concerning your father you already know. One night, one of those noblemen who took Magelia came to me. His shirt was stained with blood when he brought you within hours of your birth, as well as the armor, the amulets, and that sword. He said they were gifts from your father. He also brought Magelia's blue dress for you. That frightened me more than anything else. The next day, a man-at-arms brought your mother's body down for me to bury, and that was the last we saw of anyone from the keep. I guess they left in the night, though we didn't know it for a while. Not for certain until the next lord assigned to this fief arrived a half moon later. "

Bieja closed her eyes a moment.

"I tried to hide you at first and managed for a time. When Yoan found out, he wanted you exposed, cast out in the woods to die for fear of what ill-fortune you'd bring down on the village. I used your sword to hold him off, and told him the village might face worse if we killed a noble's child, forsaken or not. I would have said anything to save you, but fear is the only thing these fools understand. So Yoan and the others let you be—for the most part. But you were still a reminder of those men's ill-favor upon us, especially to Adryan. "

Magiere looked away, not wanting to hear any more. Bieja had lied to her for years, but Magiere couldn't escape the image of her aunt holding Yoan off with the falchion.

"I'm sorry, " Magiere said. "But you should have told me.

"You were too young, and why burden you more? You'd enough to deal with as a child. "

"What was this lord's name?" Leesil asked.

Bieja shook her head. "That was a long time ago, and we weren't worthy of such information. We just called him 'my lord. '"

"Was it Massing?" Leesil pressed.

Wynn straightened, recognizing this one word. Magiere felt as if she'd been struck in the face and turned on Leesil.

"It had to be said, " he whispered in apology.

"Perhaps others heard it, " Bieja said, pondering the name for a moment.