Alliance Forged (19 page)

“What haven’t you told us, Kalan?” she asked. “Is there more bad news?”

Her brother squeezed her hand. He continued walking in silence until the sound of voices faded and were replaced by the soft chirruping of night insects and distant mewls of bleaters settling down for the night. Underfoot the ground changed from hard-packed earth to the softness of grass. If she had to guess, they were walking just outside the perimeter of the village.

“I didn’t want to share this back there. It isn’t common knowledge yet. The Council will make these details known but in a controlled fashion to avert panic.” Kalan drew her to a halt, his thumb smoothing over her knuckles. His voice dropped and deepened. “Seven villages
and another three towns, other than the ones I named, have been attacked by the
Na’Reish
.”

Kymora stiffened as Arek’s aura flared. His shock matched hers.

“You said the
Na’Hord
massacred those they didn’t take.” The Second’s voice shook. “How many people—”

“Close to two thousand dead.” Kalan’s tone was grim. “And as far as we can estimate, almost four hundred and seventy taken in the raids.”

“Merciful Mother.”
Kymora swallowed hard as tears burned behind her eyes.

“Outriders have reported that crofters along the border are leaving their farms. They’re afraid to stay.”

To her right, Varian grunted. “Word of the attacks will spread as they move farther inland. Your people will soon know the truth,
Chosen
.”

“Arrangements are being made for their arrival. The first of them will reach Sacred Lake in the next few days. Guild-leaders and certain members of the community have been informed about the attacks, and the Councilors are working with them on how to best disseminate the details as well as prepare for the influx of refugees.” Kalan issued a heavy sigh. “Kymora, I’ve asked your most senior Servants to brief every Traveller. For the last week, they’ve been warning the towns and villages they journey through as well as preparing them for the searches.”

“And what about border patrols?” Arek asked.

“I’ve assigned twenty different patrols to various strategic locations. What I need to know, Varian, is how many scouts can the
Na’Chi
provide?”

“Discounting the Light Blades I’ve trained over the last few months, there are eighteen warriors ready to join your patrols.”

Kymora sucked in a sharp breath and turned toward him. “Varian, some of your scouts are only in their teens.”

“They might be young, Kymora, but this is something they’ve
done all their lives,” he replied. “They have years of experience fighting the
Na’Hord
.”

Kymora’s heart ached with the reminder that none of the
Na’Chi
had ever experienced a normal childhood. Kalan slid an arm around her shoulder and she leaned into him, needing his mute comfort.

“If we can get everyone ready to move by early morning tomorrow, we’ll return to Sacred Lake before midafternoon,” Kalan outlined. “After that things need to move fast. Arek, assign the
Na’Chi
scouts and warriors who’ve trained with you evenly into new patrols. I’ve spoken to all the commanders and informed them you and Varian have two weeks to get them used to working together and familiar with the
Na’Chi
scouting techniques before the ones on the border rotate back. Not ideal, I know—”

“—But we’ll do the best we can.” Arek’s rejoinder held a hint of dry humor. “Kymora, a few prayers wouldn’t go astray about now.”

A small smile curved her lips as Kalan huffed a laugh.

“I expect the Temple and
Her
Servants are going to find their workload increased in the coming weeks,” he surmised. “I was hoping Savyr would hold off just a few more months… but we tread the Journey
She
sets us and deal with the obstacles we come across.”

He paused and the lighthearted moment passed. His soft sigh was Kymora’s only warning just before he released her from his hug and placed his hands on her shoulders.

“Kymora, I’m assigning two Light Blades to you once we return to Sacred Lake.”

His quiet words sent a prickle of unease crawling up her neck. “No. If they’re what I think they’re for… no!”

“After the attempt on your life, the Blade Council wants to ensure your safety.”

His aura flared for half a heartbeat. A gritty sensation scraped across the edge of her mind, then cut off so quickly Kymora knew he was controlling his reaction. She frowned.

“The Blade Council?” So they’d instigated this motion? She shrugged off his hold. “They can’t sanction something like that without your agreement.”

“I happen to concur with their opinion.”

His answer set her teeth on edge. That might be part of the reason, but his aura hinted at something else.

“With you, I know you’re just being protective of me.” She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the hard knot forming in her stomach. “With some of the Councilors… they’re worried about my being blind, aren’t they?”

A second of silence gave her the answer she needed. As much as she loved him for wanting to safeguard her, the idea that he’d let the Councilors use her blindness as the reason for foisting two guards on her grated.

“Kymora, we can’t afford to lose you.”

She tilted her head upward, lips thinning. “So says my brother, or the
Lady’s Chosen
?”

“Both!” The word exploded from him in a rare show of temper. “
By the Light
, Kymora, right now civil war is the last thing we need. You know that’s what would happen if the
Temple Elect
was killed by renegades.” He blew out a sharp breath. “And how can you expect me to remain impartial? You’re my sister! I love you. I’m worried about your safety.”

“Kymora, you know he only has the best of intentions,” Arek intervened, his tone placating.

“I don’t need you siding with him, too, Arek.” She’d spent too many years learning how to be independent to let them use emotion to sway her. “Kalan, you’re going to need every Light Blade defending the border, not tasked with minding me.”

Kalan released a frustrated growl. “I knew you’d react this way. Sometimes you’re stubborn to the point of ignoring common sense, Kym.” Uttering a curse, he strode away from her. Gravel crunched
under the heel of his boot as he turned back. “I didn’t want to do this; I thought you might see reason…. This edict is not negotiable,
Temple Elect
.”

She sucked in a shocked breath at his steel-hard tone. He’d also used her title, a huge indication of how serious he was.

“You’re not giving me a choice?” He
knew
how she felt about being a burden to anyone.

“Kalan, Arek, would you mind giving me a moment alone with Kymora?” Varian’s calm request and his hand touching her shoulder stopped her from losing her temper entirely.

She listened to her brother and Arek move away, the grass crunching under their boots with each footstep. Kalan’s aura remained unreadable, but she could easily imagine his thoughts seething beneath it. Well, at the moment, so were hers.

Varian remained silent long after they’d gone, as if he was giving her time to cool down. He was watching her. She knew by the way her skin tingled that he was.

“So…” She flexed her fingers around her staff to relieve the cramps from gripping the shaft too hard. “Do you agree with them?”

“Do I need to? Put aside your anger and think clearly about this,” came his calm reply. “Would you leave your people without their spiritual guide? Is Kalan the sort of leader to arbitrarily impose his will on others? Is he wrong about the risk of civil war?”

“Just because I’m blind doesn’t mean I’m helpless.” She winced. Why did that have to come out sounding so defensive?

“I would never accuse you of that and you know Kalan wouldn’t, either.” Varian’s declaration prodded at her conscience. “But we all have limitations.”

She didn’t want to hear his logic. “I know not being able to see poses a greater risk, but I’ve worked hard to overcome that. Don’t you see that by accepting the Council’s edict, it will only reinforce the message that my blindness is a liability?”

“And that bothers you.”

She threw her hands in the air. “Of course it does!”

The respect of others and confidence in her abilities had taken years of work. Presenting a poised facade in the face of doubt and discrimination hadn’t been easy, but she’d done it.
Lady of Light
, being assigned two watchers would undermine all she’d achieved. Couldn’t he see that?

“Those who know you won’t view it that way. And for those who don’t, does it really matter what they believe?”

Kymora dug her nails into the wooden shaft of her staff. “I was hoping for a little understanding.”

“I do.” Sincerity pulsed from his aura. “But you’re the head of your order, Kymora. All motivations aside, the
Lady’s Chosen
and the Blade Council need their
Temple Elect
.” His tone gentled. “This time your personal feelings don’t matter.”

That stung. She swallowed hard and folded her arms. “I can look after myself. I don’t need guards.”

Merciful Mother
, what an asinine response. Her cheeks heated. The silence stretched and she shifted from one foot to the other.

“Compromise is never easy.”

Varian’s reply wasn’t quite what she expected. In his blunt fashion, she’d expected to be berated for her childish attitude.
Lady
knew Kalan and Arek’s patience would have worn out by now.

She chewed her lip. Varian was waiting for her to concede his point. How many times in the past had she ignored other’s perceptions and forged onward? More heat infused her cheeks.
Lady’s Breath
, when would she learn to curb her pride and accept some things were beyond her control?

His hand curled around hers. “Come on, Kymora, if I can agree to reintegrate the
Na’Chi
into your world, then you can put up with two bodyguards.”

The inevitable left her feeling nauseated. “I still don’t like it.”

“I know.” His fingers stroked hers. “We can struggle through our less than satisfactory situations together.”

His dry attempt at humor extinguished the last of her anger.

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

“I suspect you will.” Varian grunted. “And I’ll probably live to regret it.”

His response brought a small smile to her lips. Banter wasn’t something he engaged in all that often. It warmed her that he made the effort.

She grasped his forearm and squared her shoulders. “Let’s get this over with and go tell Kalan.”

T
HE familiar odor of lemon-scented candles and earthy incense filled Kymora’s lungs as she knelt at the foot of the
Lady’s
altar. The coolness of stone penetrated through the light robes of her station, but it was welcome relief from the heat of the day outside the
Lady’s
Temple where she’d spent a greater portion of the day mixing with those who’d attended the Summer’s End service, then headed into the city for the People’s Market.

Since returning to Sacred Lake, she’d been swamped with official duties and so many meetings she’d barely found time to meditate. Had it been only a week since she’d walked into her office with Sartor, her most senior Servant, to discuss what had happened in her absence? To be fair, he’d handled everything he possibly could and sent missives for the most urgent matters, but there’d still been a long list of issues needing her attention.

Kymora’s shoulders sagged. Seven days, and it already felt like she’d been back a month. Reaching for the amulet around her neck,
she smoothed her fingers over the sun etching, then bowed her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Even a few moments of calm and quiet would rejuvenate her.

The ever-present auras of her two bodyguards indicated they waited a respectful distance about halfway down the center aisle of the Temple. They’d followed her around all week, attending meetings or services or remaining unobtrusive as she’d spoken with worshippers on personal matters.

Fuzziness blurred the edges of their auras, indicating boredom. She sighed and wished she could dismiss them back to their regular duties, but Kalan’s orders had been quite specific. Unless she was in her personal quarters, where they were to take up position outside her door, they went with her everywhere regardless of who she met with or what function she attended. Her mouth tightened. Keeping his distance all week was a wise move on her brother’s part, as she was still tempted to give him a piece of her mind.

Her frustration lasted all of three heartbeats before she let it go. It wasn’t justified. Meetings had occupied him, too, most revolving around strategic planning or organizing provincial searches. Like her, at the moment, his time was at a premium.

Which reminded her to take advantage of the midafternoon break. Refocusing, she recalled her favorite passages of scripture to clear her mind, then spent the next several minutes in prayer. She ended with the customary ritual of burning incense.

As she dusted her hands and felt along the altar for her staff, soft boot steps sounded behind her. Being so deep in prayer, she hadn’t registered the presence of two new auras. One like sunshine and fresh air, the other more reserved, even a little wary, both familiar.

“Annika! Kalan!” Kymora turned. “I missed you both at the Summer’s End service.”

“We planned to come.” The wavy softness of Annika’s hair
brushed against her chin and cheek as the shorter woman enclosed her in a warm hug. The faint odor of
Vaa’jahn
clung to her. Kymora smiled. It wouldn’t surprise her if Sacred Lake’s newest healer had spent the morning in the marketplace hospice. “Unfortunately, a messenger arrived from the Lower Crags Province and the Council had to convene to hear it. I hope we aren’t disturbing you.”

“Of course not. I’ve finished my meditation.” Kymora drew back. “It’s good to see you. This week has been so hectic. Is this visit our chance to catch up?”

Annika’s light laughter filled the air. “Well, I guess it serves two purposes. I wanted to see you earlier in the week. Kalan thought it best to give you a few days to settle back into your duties, especially as you’ve been helping resettle the refugees with families here in the city.”