Chapter 46: Megan Renewed

She broke my stare and looked down in shame. "Everything."

"Everything," I repeated. She just nodded. I patted the ground next to me and told her to sit. She sat. I laid back down with my hands behind my head and rested my eyes.

My shoulder shouted in protest at the mistreatment.

"What exactly did you tell him?" I was not all that surprised by her admission. It had to have taken a lot of fast talking on Chandra's part to get him to agree.

"That you were a Wizard Lord, that you could best Mother Browynn in a fight, and that the wizard's guildmaster was afraid of you." She admitted.

Lovely.

"That wasn't enough, was it?"

"No," she said quietly.

"What finally convinced him?"

"I told him that you were going to kill Steven and reopen the pass for trade."

"How did you know that Steven was going to be there?"

"I told him." The steel in her voice informed me that this was something she believed that she did for the right reasons. I whistled long and slow at her admission.

"Did you tell him before seeing your father?"

Yes.

"Yes. I told him that we would be coming through the pass, and if he wasn't there to stop you, then Lady Megan would go free and he would look like a fool."

"And you didn't think to tell me earlier?"

"Father told me not to." I could hear the conflict in her voice.

"We'll talk about that later. That still doesn't tell me why he let you go."

"I told him that you would die rather than let me get harmed." She hesitated. I could feel there was one last piece.

"Chandra, just tell me," I ordered.

"I told him you were a Body Wizard, and I didn't think you could die."

I opened my eyes and looked at her tear streaked face. I felt disappointed and I wasn't sure why.

"Chandra, why would you tell him that?" I let my disappointment show.

She flinched before replying, "Because that was the only way that he would have let me come, and I wanted to go with you."

"Have you ever heard the phrase: That is not my secret to share?" I was not pleased.

She shook her head to the negative.

"Stay there, I'll be back." I left to get some breakfast and time to think.

What to do.

I made myself some tea and thought. I let Armand know

we would be leaving late, there was something I needed to take care of first. Megan asked what the delay was and I put her off. I didn't want to deal with her this morning.

Once I had my tea, I knelt and tried to center myself. It eluded me but I managed to figure out what I was going to do about Chandra's betrayal.

She was still where I left her and she was alone, the others gave us space to deal with whatever was bothering us.

"Rise, Postulant," I commanded and she did. I could see her steel herself for the fallout of her actions.

I cupped her chin with my hand and she flinched slightly. "I understand what you did and why you did it. I forgive you for that."

"BUT, if you are to stay with me you are to swear that you will never divulge anything about me or what I do, without my permission, to anyone. This includes your father, your friends and even Mother Browynn. If this is too much for you, then I will escort you back to the garrison and have them detail a patrol to return you home. You choose. If you stay with me I demand your unconditional loyalty."

Even with the expectation of a punishment, this one surprised her. Chandra's eyes widened and a single tear started to form.

"Neither choice will bring you dishonor. Take your time and think about it." I released her chin and stepped back.

"I want to be your apprentice, Lord Charles," she rushed to say before I even took a step.

"Want to be or are?" I clarified.

"I am your apprentice, My Lord," she knelt and offered me her sword.

"Swear by Kassandra," I ordered.

"I swear by Kassandra that I am your apprentice and shall obey you in all things until you release me."

"Accepted, Postulant. Now go get something to eat."

Everything. She told him everything.

I had the men hitch the horses while Chandra ate and I rolled up my bed. I saw the questioning look from Megan, but she didn't need to know about this one.

Chandra seemed more at ease after our discussion this morning, which made the ride easier from that aspect. Unfortunately, the path narrowed randomly and sometimes dangerously so. To our left was a sheer cliff face going up, and to the right there was the drop off from the side of the mountain. I couldn't even see any trees to break the fall.

The road was actually dug into the mountain in some places. I figured that they had to send out a crew occasionally to keep it wide enough for a cart to use.

It was only a half a day's ride to the mountain garrison. There was a tower built into the side of the mountain, and the gates had catapults on each side facing further along the pass. The small fort couldn't have held many men; I figured that they could hold off hundreds. Maybe more if the path on the other side was as bad as it was on this side.