Lord of Legends. Susan Krinard
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didn’t answer. Ash pressed as close to the bars as he could without touching them.
“Think carefully,” Mariah said at last. “Who in your family might resemble your brother?”
“You aren’t suggesting—”
“Who, Sinjin?”
“No one!”
“No one that you know of.”
“Don’t you think I would be aware … Do you actually think this man is here because of my brother?”
“I don’t know what to believe. Please stay here, Sinjin.”
A moment later she returned to the inner chamber, fetched the bag she had brought with her and opened it, producing another loaf of bread, small red fruits, a white stone-like container and another shaped of clear crystal.
“Bread, strawberries, butter and jam,” she said, smiling at Ash. She sat in the chair, spread a cloth across her heavy skirt and removed two pieces of the bread from its wrapping. She coated them with the yellow substance in the stone container and the thick, sweet-smelling fruit from the crystal.
Ash could see Ware peering through the crack in the door. Donnington’s brother, though Ash didn’t know what that word might mean. He only knew it was important. As was husband, though he refused to consider why it hurt so much to think of Mariah bearing a connection to his enemy.
And Mariah had said he looked like Donnington. Ash had not seen Donnington when he had gazed at his own face in the water, yet something in him knew it was true.
The thoughts flying through his head made his hunger go away, but he knew he must remain strong. He took the bread through the bars, and then Mariah left the room again.
“You speak to him as if he doesn’t know what bread and jam are,” Ware whispered. “And he’s only half-dressed.”
“He was left with almost nothing,” she said. “Nothing to eat, nothing to wear.”
“You brought him those clothes?”
“Of course. What else was I to do?”
“You said you saw another stranger by the folly. This man hasn’t been completely neglected. Someone must come here to feed him, clean his …” He paused. “What did your maid say?”
“Nola said there was a strange man living in a cottage on the grounds, and no one knows what he does. Ash implied that someone comes to him every few days. Someone who doesn’t want anyone else to know that Ash is here.”
Sinjin made a harsh, angry sound. “This is a highly volatile situation, Mariah,” he said. “Obviously this man has suffered, but as for his identity or Donnington’s … involvement, we’ll have to give this very careful thought. Acting too quickly can only—”
Mariah strode back into Ash’s room, Ware on her heels. He caught at Mariah’s arm. “Mariah, listen to me. We—”
The bars rattled as Ash banged against them. Fire coursed over his skin.
“Don’t touch her,” he commanded. “Don’t touch her!”
Both humans started. “He is a lunatic,” Ware said.
Mariah shook him off. “He’s nothing of the kind.” She moved as close to Ash as she could without touching the bars. “Don’t, Ash. Please.”
The fire licked at Ash’s forehead. “Stay away from him.”
“Sinjin won’t hurt me, Ash. I promise you, he’s our friend.”
“Merry, this man is obviously disturbed,” Ware said. “Don’t promise him anything. Not until we know what he’s done.”
“Done?” She whirled to face him. “What could he have done to deserve this?”
“We need to keep our wits about us. You must see that.”
“Yes. We must all keep our wits about us.” She smiled at Ash, though her lips trembled. “Try to be patient, Ash. We both want to help, to find out why you’re here so we can let you go.”
“Merry …” Sinjin warned.
But she wasn’t listening to him. “Have you remembered anything new, Ash?” she asked. “Anything you can tell us?”
To offer her the truth would be to admit too much. That he was not human. That there was some other world ruled by those who were not human. That he had possessed another life, another form far mightier than this one. No, he could not offer her the truth.
For she had not given him the truth.
“No,” he said.
“We’ll find a way, Ash.”
“Which will require considerable finesse,” Ware said. “And you will leave the investigation to me, Mariah.”
“First we must find Ash’s keeper.”
“I’ll look into it as soon as it’s light enough to search,” Ware said. “You go back to the house, Merry. Pretend that nothing has happened.”
She flashed another glance at Ash and pushed Sinjin out of the room again. “Suppose Donnington does know about this?” she said. “Might Vivian not know, as well?”
“Mother? You’re joking.”
“Perhaps. But, as you said, we can make no judgments as yet. I’ll learn what I can in the house. You find this keeper. And you must discover how Ash is related to your family.”
“If he is—”
“No judgments, Sinjin.”
“I’ll do just as you say. But, Merry … Don’t say anything to my mother. Not under any circumstances. She would be worse than shocked if she saw him.”
“This can’t be kept hidden for long.”
“Go back to the house. I’ll stay with him until dawn.”
“That would not be wise.”
“I’m not leaving you alone with him. He’s shown a propensity for violence.”
“Can you blame him?”
“Hasn’t it occurred to you that you simply haven’t been questioning him the right away?”
“What do you propose? Torture?”
“I’m beginning to wonder, given his startling resemblance to Donnington, if your desire to help isn’t some sort of obsession.”
“It ought to be every bit as much of an obsession with you, Sinjin! This man could be your direct relation.”
There was a long moment of silence. “I was right, wasn’t I? This isn’t just natural concern on your part.”
“Do you believe that compassion isn’t sufficient reason to help someone?”
“I mean the way you look at him, speak to him—”
“We shouldn’t leave Ash alone,” she said. The door swung open again, and Mariah walked straight over to the bars.
“I’m sorry, Ash,” she said. “Mr. Ware and I—”
“Release me.”
She stared at him, her lips slightly parted. Ware walked up behind her, examining Ash through narrowed eyes.
“A gentleman, is he?” Ware said. “He does speak rather like a duke I once knew. Truly, Merry, you must realize that this man may not be sane, let alone capable of or willing to speak the truth. We—”
There was scarcely room between the bars for Ash’s hand, let alone his arm, but he struck at once. His flesh screamed in pain as his