"Send someone to the duke," Sir Raynald called down. "Tell him one of his knights was attacked."
His task complete, he took a seat on the top stair, blocking anyone else from getting into the hallway.
"What will you do now?" asked Stanislav.
"Do?" said Sir Raynald. "What can I do? The enemy is dead or fled."
"Yes, but there is a connection with the Church. Shouldn't you look into it?"
"There is little I can do, and besides, the army will soon be marching. My place is by the duke's side."
"You must tell him what has transpired."
"To what end? Do you really think His Grace will take such accusations seriously? He can't just storm up to the father general and accuse the master of his order of being a… I don't even know what he would be."
"A spy?" offered Stanislav.
"Call it what you like, but if his control over his knights is as strong as I suspect, it will make little difference. What it all comes down to is that the Church must look after its own. It's not for outsiders to interfere. Athgar and Natalia are safe for now, and that's all we can hope for."
"What of you, Brother Rickard?" asked the mage hunter. "What are your thoughts on the matter?"
"The reports are troubling, to say the least," responded the lay brother, "but what choice do we have? There is no real evidence of this conspiracy. Only the word of two people who we are unable to call as witnesses. It ultimately comes down to mere accusations, for we have no proof."
"There must be something we can do?" insisted Stanislav.
Brother Rickard opened his mouth to speak but fell silent, considering his words.
Sir Raynald, however, had other ideas. "Well I, for one, will keep vigilant lest these fellows strike once more. Never again will I trust a Temple Knight."
"I might remind you," said Brother Rickard, "it is only one order who is involved here. I can't believe the Brothers of Saint Mathew would condone such actions nor the Sisters of Saint Agnes if it came right down to it."
Sir Raynald sighed. "You are correct, of course. But we must take solace that we have defeated the plans of whoever is behind all of this."
"I very much doubt that," said Stanislav. "This whole affair with Natalia and Athgar was a sideshow."
"What makes you say that?" asked Brother Rickard.
"Think about it. It would have taken years for Talivardas to reach the level of a Temple Knight Master. He would have started long before Natalia graduated from the Volstrum, possibly even before she was inducted."
"Then what is their ultimate plan?" asked Sir Raynald.
"I have no idea," replied Stanislav, "but one thing's for sure, I can't go back to Karslev. Nikolai would have seen to that."
"What will you do?" asked Brother Rickard.
"I don't know yet," the mage hunter replied. "I may stick around Ebenstadt awhile. See what comes up."
"You could always work for the duke," suggested Sir Raynald. "The pay's good, and he could use a man like you."
"Like me? A mage hunter? Don't be ridiculous."
"I saw you fight," said the knight. "You know how to handle a sword."
The old man shrugged it off. "No, my fighting days are over. I'd much prefer to spend my time in leisure. Perhaps I'll slow down a little and learn to appreciate life."
"With no coins?" said Sir Raynald.
"Don't trouble yourself on my account," said Stanislav. "I have plenty of friends around the Continent who owe me a favour or two."
"And until you locate them?"
Stanislav knelt by a body, rooting through its pockets. He smiled, holding up a small collection of coins. "I'll make do."
Escape
Autumn 1104 SR
Athgar sat, taking the weight off his leg. They were finally free of Ebenstadt, its grey walls now out of sight, but the spectre of pursuit loomed heavily on both their minds.
"You can't go on using your bow as a cane," said Natalia. "We need to get you a proper crutch."
Athgar looked around. "What would that entail?"
"Have you never used a crutch before?"
"No, can't say that I have. Do you know how to make one?"
"Of course. Helping the wounded was part of my training."
"What do we need?" he asked.
"A branch or stick of suitable size."
Athgar hefted his axe. "You pick out a branch, and I'll cut it down."
She smiled. "It's good you don't use a sword, it wouldn't be half as handy. You wait here, and I'll have a quick look around. I'll come find you once I've got what we need."
He watched her wander around, the sun glinting off her black hair. The day was hot, surprising considering the time of year, and he wondered how many more days like this they would have before winter raised its icy head.
It didn't take long for Natalia to find what she wanted: a Y- shaped branch that had long since fallen to the ground.
"This ought to do," she said, "though, of course, you'll need to adjust its height."
"Bring it closer, and let me take a look."
She dragged it towards him, then halted, a pained look coming to her face.
He stood up in alarm, instantly regretting his decision as his leg faltered. "Are you all right?"
She held up her hand, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Only a twinge," she replied. "This baby of ours is determined to make its presence known. Is that a Therengian trait?"
"I have no idea. The truth is, I never paid much attention to such things back in Athelwald, but Skora would know. She's delivered lots of babies in her time."
"I wish she was here now," said Natalia.
"I never thought I'd say it," said Athgar, "but right now, I'd love to have a horse."
"You? The confirmed walker? I thought you hated the things."
"Hate's a strong word, but anything would be better than walking right now. And let's face it, you're not in much better shape yourself." He limped over to
