ARC: Assassin Queen (16 page)

Kara turned to follow, but Ellah stepped forward, blocking her way. Kara lifted her eyes, surprised. Being a superb warrior she wasn
’
t used to this, especially not from someone who wasn
’
t even pretending to be proficient with weapons.

She looked at the girl with silent question.

“
I do care about Kyth too,
”
Ellah said softly.
“
As a friend. I
’
m sure you are aware that my friendship with him goes much further back than yours, and I know him much better than you do. What Lady Celana said was true. My heart bleeds too, every time I watch him looking your way.
”

Kara held her gaze.
“
If I could just disappear from his path, I
’
d be glad to. But, for better or worse, we are all stuck together until we finish off the Kaddim.
”

Ellah’
s sharp-featured face looked hazy in the darkness.

“
I know you speak the truth,
”
she said.
“
My gift tells me this much. I know Kyth wouldn
’
t care for you if you weren
’
t a good person. And Mai
–
he would never fall in love with you if you weren
’
t worthy.
”

Mai.
Kara lifted her eyebrows. To hear Ellah speak his name so tenderly, as if talking about a very close person, made her wonder. She was used by now to the way non-Majat often omitted warrior titles because they did not fully appreciate their significance. But the way Ellah spoke just now suggested more.

How did this girl become so familiar with Mai as to speak of his love life?

“
Do you really think you know everyone so well?
”
It was hard to keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

Ellah shrugged.
“
I can tell if people truly mean what they say. It
’
s eye-opening to realize how often this turns out not to be the case. My gift has told me one thing about Lady Celana. She may be hard to read at times, but her intentions are true. She loves Kyth. And, she could truly make him happy
–
if he lets her.
”

Kara forced her thoughts back to Kyth, away from the way Ellah mentioned Mai
’
s name, so matter-of-factly and yet with such deep interest in his feelings. It didn
’
t take a truthseer to realize that there was more here than met the eye
–
at least on Ellah
’
s part. She ached to know more. But she would be damned if she ever let these thoughts surface. Questioning Ellah about this would suggest that she doubted Mai, and nothing could be further from the truth. She loved him and she trusted him more than she trusted herself. Nothing in the world could ever change that.

“
Lady Celana has nothing to worry about on my account,
”
she said.
“
If she can make Kyth happy, I would feel deeply grateful to her.
”

“
As long as you don
’
t stand in the way,
”
Ellah said.

“
What do you mean?
”

Ellah measured her with a long stare.
“
You have so many ways of being alluring to a man. We all feel challenged when you are around.
”

Kara let out a short laugh.
“
Is this why you two looked at me so closely today? Why Lady Celana talked of my sexual experience? You think I use my
body
to be attractive?
”

Ellah took a step back. At least she had the decency to look ashamed
–
unless she was putting on a very good pretense.

“Don
’
t you?
”
she asked quietly.

Kara leaned closer, meeting her eyes in the semi-darkness.

“I
’
ve grown up learning to avoid men,
”
she said.
“
Perhaps it
’
s a lesson to be learned if you ever want to find a good match?
”

She turned and strode away, trying to quiet her racing heart. She was surprised at herself, how in one day she found herself first doubting Mai
’
s intentions toward her and then feeling jealous of a girl Mai couldn
’
t possibly have anything in common with. It must be the mind link, she decided. The Kaddim were using all means to drive her mad. And she
’
d be damned if she let them.

When Kara emerged from the bushes, she was surprised to find Raishan gone and Mai sitting on the ground in his place, with his back to a large tree. He rose to his feet when he saw her, watching her approach. Enclosed by the dark shade of the trees that separated them from camp, his face was hard to read.

“
Where
’
s Raishan?”
she asked.

“
I relieved him. Think of it as a change of guard.
”
She sensed a smile in Mai
’
s voice, but the way he peered at her also betrayed his concern.

“I
’
m not sure if I should be alone with you,
”
she said.

He stepped closer.
“
That
’
s new. Why not?
”

“I can
’
t be trusted.
”

“
With what, exactly?
” He grinned. “
I hope you don
’
t mean my virtue.
”

She let out a short laugh, his easygoing tone putting some of her tension at rest. His virtue. She definitely could not be trusted with that, even if there was no possibility on the march to put this to the test.

“
I wanted to make sure you are all right,
” Mai said.

She shook her head. She couldn
’
t possibly be all right, not until the Kaddim link was removed. Mai knew it too. Yet, it was so tempting to pretend everything was normal and this was just one of their regular conversations.

“
I spoke to Magister Egey Bashi,
”
she said.
“
He confirmed what you said, that my death could potentially release my power to the Kaddim
…
You should have told me.
”

“
I should have, if I knew what you were going to do. For now, I
’
m just glad we were able to stop you from following through with your plan.
”

His voice held an edge that answered so well to her own feelings. If she was allowed to do what she planned, the Kaddim would have won and she and Mai would not even be talking right now. Once again, Mai
’
s
resolve and ability to take quick actions had saved her from an unimaginable disaster.

“I
’
ve lost count of how many times you saved my life,
”
she said.

“
As many as it takes,
” Mai said. “
But, other considerations aside, I hope you realize that if the Magister
’
s information is right, your life is easily the most precious one among our group.
”

She shivered.
“
I don’
t know how to deal with this. It seems that everything I do only makes things worse.
”

“
Let me try to make it a little bit better.
”
He reached out to her and she stepped into his embrace.

It felt so good to relax against his chest. When he was so close, when he held her like this, it was difficult to imagine anything could ever go wrong. She stifled the images that crowded in her mind, Kaddim armies fighting with the skill of a Diamond Majat, her friends and comrades falling under their blades.

He rested his cheek against her hair, drawing a long breath. The tender gesture made her stomach flutter. If only they could stay like this forever, forgetting all their problems. He owned her, body and soul, and this awareness was the most thrilling one she had in a very long time. The Kaddim could never put a claim on her as long as she was with Mai. She would hold on to this bond she had, at all cost.

A distant guard call signaled the start of the night shift. She stirred, drawing away from Mai briefly.

“Won
’
t they miss us?
”
she asked quietly.

He smiled.
“
I told Raishan we may take a while. He promised not to let anyone pass this way.
”

She laughed.
“
I would have gone insane at least several times today, if it wasn
’
t for Raishan.
”

“
I hope this is one of those times.
”
Mai drew her closer and she submerged into his caress.

16

Tree Ultimatum

“
This is where our forces separate,
” Mai said.

Kyth looked at the flat area of land stretching in front of them, covered by ivy and dense hazel growth. According to the Majat maps, the thicker line of trees in the distance signified the official boundary of the Forestlands, the place where he had been raised as a child, hidden to protect his magic gift from the wrath of the Church. The thought of being so close to the place he had considered his home when he grew up made his heart race. Yet, the scenery here did not look familiar at all. It was hard to imagine they were only a few days
’
ride away from the Forestland thickets.

He looked at Alder, sitting very still, his attention focused entirely on the trees. The spiders on his shoulder kept still, yet Kyth could detect a tension. Were they all sensing closeness to their home? Could Alder feel something nobody else could?

“
Kyth.
” Mai
’
s voice brought him back to his senses, to realize that everyone was looking at him expectantly.

“
What?
”

Mai sighed.
“
Last time we discussed this, you were supposed to be the one to lead your party to Lady Ayalla. The Majat were planning to go around by the caravan roads. Are you still on board with this plan?
”

“Yes.”
Kyth wasn
’
t sure what brought on the question.

“
Then pay attention,
” Mai said.

Kyth bit his lip, stifling a retort. He knew, whatever he said just now, Mai would use it as an opportunity to humiliate him. Perhaps it had to do with the way Kyth
’
s eyes kept drifting toward Kara, sitting at the far edge of the camp, distant enough to avoid any possibility of overhearing their conversation? He couldn
’
t blame Mai for being protective. Had Kara belonged to Kyth now, he might have done the same.

“
You, Alder, and Ellah, will enter the forest and seek out Lady Ayalla,
” Mai said. “
Then you will travel down the Groves to meet us at the Gard
’
hal outpost. Hopefully with reinforcements.
”

The spiders.
Once again, Kyth glanced at his foster brother
’
s shoulder. To stand a better chance with the Kaddim, they had to convince Lady Ayalla to lend them a large number of these deadly creatures. Too many to conceal easily during the travel.

“
How are we going to transport them?
”
he asked.

Alder lifted his head.
“
We should leave all this up to Ayalla.
”
It didn
’
t escape Kyth how intimate the name sounded when Alder said it, his cheeks lighting up with a faint color. Was his foster brother looking forward to this meeting? If so, it had to be reassuring. Surely she wouldn
’
t bring any harm to someone so close to her?

“
Just don’
t mess up,
” Mai said.

Kyth did open his mouth this time to tell Mai everything he thought of this conversation, but a loud rustle at the side of the glade froze the words on his lips. He turned toward the sound, feeling a chill run down his spine.

When they had settled down in this glade only a couple of hours ago, it seemed a lot more open than now, with far fewer trees crowding along its sides. The wall of tree trunks around them stood so dense now that they blocked away most of the light. All of them couldn
’
t possibly grown out of nowhere in the past two hours. Did he remember wrong? Was it all his imagination?

“
It reminds me of the Dark Mire,
”
Alder said.

From across the fire, Ellah nodded. Her tense set of shoulders matched well with the eerie feeling in Kyth
’
s chest, so different from the ease of Alder
’
s relaxed posture.

Mai glanced at the map he was holding in his hand, then ran his eyes around their group.

“
I did expect the trees here to be more
… normal,”
he admitted.
“
Our scouts reported nothing unusual when we chose this campsite.
”

Kyth looked at the forest wall around them again. In the gathering dusk, it seemed as if the trees were creeping in, smothering them in their shade. Despite all the hacking just an hour ago when they were setting up camp, it seemed as if they were seated in the middle of woods never before invaded by men. In fact, even the path they had followed here today from von Eyvern lands was no longer visible.

“
Perhaps,
”
Egey Bashi suggested,
“
Lady Ayalla is making a move to facilitate our meeting?
”

Mai
’
s eyes darted around the trees and Kyth saw a tense cord in his neck, the only indication that the Majat was probably feeling as unnerved as everyone else.

“
I haven
’
t actually planned to bring our entire force into her realm,
” Mai said. “
Perhaps we should have taken Lord Garet
’
s warning more seriously.
”

Egey Bashi shrugged.
“
On this side of the Lakes, all bets are off, Aghat Mai. Lady Ayalla heeds no borders. She comes and goes as she pleases.
”

Kyth glanced at Celana seated by his side and gave her an encouraging smile. Inadvertently, his eyes slid further to Kara, curled up with her back against a tree, her knees pulled up to her chest. She looked drawn, exhausted. During the past few days she had been getting visibly worse. Kyth was dying to find out what was going on, but with the way Mai kept Kara by his side day and night it was all but impossible to steal a private conversation.

“
The trees are talking,
”
Alder suddenly said.

Mai
’
s eyes darted toward the gathering gloom around the camp.
“
I am not sure I like this.
”

Egey Bashi sighed.
“
Under the circumstances, Aghat Mai, it may be a good idea to consider a change of plans. You are the formal leader of this force. Perhaps you should be the one meeting with Lady Ayalla.
”

Mai shook his head.
“
I like my meetings to happen according to my plans, Magister
–
not to mention, on my terms.
”

“
So does Lady Ayalla, I would imagine. I may be wrong, of course, but it seems to me that she has already made a decision to meet you in person.
”

Mai didn
’
t respond to that, but his wary look spoke of more uncertainty than Kyth had ever seen him capable of.

“
In any case,
”
Alder said,
“
there isn
’
t much to be done about all this right now. No saying what could happen if we tried to get out of this thicket in the dark. I think we
’
d all do best to get some sleep.
”

Kara was having trouble falling asleep. During the past few days her headaches were getting more frequent, the incessant whispering in her ears making it hard to concentrate. The inky blackness inside the looming forest line seemed impenetrable to her tired eyes. Worse, despite being unable to see much, she kept imagining movement inside the tree shade. Branches, coiling and twining faster than the tree appendages should be able to move. Shadows crawling along the ground like the spiders that cornered her back at the King
’
s castle in Tandar. She shivered, pulling her cloak tighter around herself.

Mai was asleep by her side, his closeness putting some of her worries at ease. Still, she wished the headache would stop and the noises in her ears would go away, for once giving her some privacy inside her own mind.

Were the Kaddim taking firmer hold of her?

Could the trees sense it?

She suddenly realized that the tree line seemed a lot closer than she remembered it to be when she lay down to sleep. She tried to reassure herself. Even if the trees here did move faster than normal at Ayalla
’
s bidding, surely they couldn
’
t possibly mean harm
–
not with the cause the Majat were fighting for. She cuddled closer to Mai. As if sensing her unease, he draped an arm around her.

The movement eased her fear. Mai was superbly trained, just like her. If he sensed any danger he would instantly wake up. The fact that he was sleeping tightly meant that this was all a figment of her imagination driven by the Kaddim mind link. Just like they did for the past few weeks, they were messing with her head. If she managed to still her mind, the whole thing would go away.

She curled up against Mai
’
s chest, trying her best to clear her mind to any outside thoughts.

Something leathery touched her arm.

She whipped out her dagger, hacking at the invading object, but her blade met thin air.
Dear Shal Addim, am I going mad?
She sat up, wondering how everyone around her was still fast asleep. Even the watchmen Mai had left around the smoldering campfires. This shouldn
’
t be happening. She spun around at a rustle at her back, and froze.

A group of trees was moving toward her at high speed, their snaking roots whirling over the ground like the legs of a giant centipede. Before she could cry out, a leathery branch whipped around her mouth, another one squeezing her throat until she had no air left. More branches enclosed her, weaving a cocoon around her that rendered her immobile.

With darkening vision she saw the ground fall away, her sleeping comrades not even stirring as she was lifted above them, right out of Mai
’
s arms. A tight cord caught her around the chest, squeezing out what breath she had left. The noise in her ears rose to a painful ringing that drowned all the other sounds.

Am I dying?
The thought didn
’
t seem important anymore. At least, if she was dying, it wasn
’
t from a spider bite, which made the whole ordeal seem a lot better. She clung to this thought as her vision blackened and the world around her sank into oblivion.

“
What do you mean,
gone
?”
Mai demanded.

The Jade took a nervous step back. Kyth didn
’
t envy the man his position.

“
There
’
re no tracks, Aghat Mai.”

“
You mean, she covered them.
” Mai
’
s face was so still that even Kyth felt scared. He remembered Mai
’
s reaction when Kara ran away from the barge. Here, in the wilderness, with no means to summon help, it seemed infinitely worse.

The Jade lifted his chin, clearly struggling to keep his composure.
“
I mean, Aghat Mai, there are none, at all. We have our best trackers on it. No matter how well she could cover her tracks, they would have spotted something. It looks as if someone just... lifted her off the ground and swept her away.
”

“
Lifted her.
”

“Yes.”

Mai heaved an exasperated sigh.
“
What did the other watchmen see?
”

The man averted his gaze, throwing a nervous glance at the men crowding behind him. No one seemed willing to break the silence.

Mai ran a disbelieving gaze around the group.

“
Do you mean to tell me that all of you just happened to fall asleep at the same time?
”

More silence. Kyth saw the Jade
’
s lowered hand tremble. Men around him shrank away from Mai
’
s gaze.

“
I think, Aghat Mai,
” Egey Bashi said, “
there was nothing your men could have done.
”

“
You leave my men to me, Magister.
”

“
I mean it, Aghat Mai. However powerful the Majat Guild is, respectfully, you are no match for Lady Ayalla.
”

Mai
’
s gaze spelled challenge.
“We
’
ll see about that.
”

“
I hope not.
”
Egey Bashi spoke quietly, but in the smothering silence from the trees around them his words echoed clearly around the group.

“
Perhaps,
”
Kyth said,
“
you can lead a parley into the forest, Mai?
”

Mai glanced at the dense tree line.
“
Do I have a bloody choice?
”

Branches rustled in response. Kyth couldn
’
t tell for sure, but to his ear the pitch sounded threatening.

“No,”
Alder said.

Mai spun around to face him.
“No?”

“You
’
re not to enter the forest. Not with your men.
”

“I
’
d like to see somebody bloody stop me.
”
Mai drew his staff from the sheath at his back.

Egey Bashi slid forward and caught him by the arm. At Mai
’
s glance he let go, slowly.
“
You well know the forces at Lady Ayalla
’
s disposal can stop you easily, Aghat Mai. It
’
s time to exercise reason.
”

Seldon stepped forward, his frown reflecting poorly disguised contempt.
“
With due respect, Aghat Mai, I must point out that you are hardly impartial in this situation. I fear that your feelings in the matter may stand in the way of resolving it.
”

Mai
’
s short glance forced him to retreat. Kyth also noticed how Raishan and Lance suddenly grew taller by Mai
’
s sides, as if offering protection.

“
By all means, Aghat Seldon,
” Mai said, “
if you can point to a solution I
’
m overlooking, I
’
ll welcome it.
”

“
Respectfully,
” Egey Bashi put in, “
I don’
t think any of you can offer a solution here. At least, not the Majat-style one.
”

“
Respectfully
,”
Seldon said,
“
this is not a matter for an outsider, Magister.
”

Egey Bashi
’
s smile showed a touch of impatience.
“
It seems that in this case it is, Aghat Seldon. The person taken from our party is not a Majat.
”
He glanced at Mai.
“
However unofficial, our march is driven by an alliance, and as the representative of the Order of Keepers I have a say. Of course, Aghat Mai
’
s military authority supersedes mine.
”
He bowed to Mai.

“It
’
s not the military authority that
’
s an issue here,
”
Seldon said.

Mai glanced up.
“
You have something else you wish to say, Aghat Seldon?
”

“
Yes, I do.
”

The Diamonds by Mai
’
s sides crowded in closer. Kyth saw how they all kept their arms toned, as if ready to draw their weapons at any instant. Their eyes kept darting to Mai, looking lower than his face.
Waiting for a hand sign. Damn it, are they going to fight each other?
He edged away, hoping the movement did not seem obvious.

Seldon seemed the only one unabashed by the threat.

“
Even a Guildmaster
’
s authority is not absolute, Aghat Mai,
”
he said.
“
I hope you still remember that your predecessor
’
s downfall happened to involve Kara and the Kaddim. I hope I am not the only one seeing a connection here.
”

“
Really, Aghat Seldon, this hardly seems the time to
…”
Egey Bashi began, but Mai
’
s short glance stopped him.

“
By all means, Magister.
” Mai
’
s voice was quiet, but in the dead silence it still echoed loudly like a shout.
“
We must hear what Aghat Seldon has to say. What better time to get this all over with?
”

The way all the Majat around Mai tensed up reminded Kyth of a battery of strung crossbows about to be released at the enemy line. He marveled at the way Seldon acted as if oblivious to the tension, even though a small bead of sweat glistening at his temple said otherwise.

“
It came to my attention, Aghat Mai,
”
Seldon said,
“
that after assuming your post you
’
ve failed to appoint a new Shadow Master. In fact, I heard our seniors say that you
’
ve made plans to permanently abolish the post.
”

Mai smiled.
“
I assume, Aghat Seldon, that this discussion is somehow relevant to our situation here.
”

“
I believe so, Aghat Mai. I cannot help but think of how this action would give our Diamonds
–
including yourself
–
far less incentive to follow the Code.
”

Mai continued to smile, but something about his stance sent a chill down Kyth
’
s spine. “
Are you accusing me of violating the Code, Aghat Seldon?
” Mai said.

Seldon shook his head, looking just a bit deflated.
“
By no means, Aghat Mai. My words are meant merely in caution. Your devotion to Kara could place you directly at odds with your duties to the Guild. For instance, right now you are planning a confrontation with a powerful forest being for no reason at all except to save the woman you love. Worse, it seems that no one here is even willing to offer an objection to what seems to me like an insanely dangerous plan.
”

Mai held his gaze.
“
Since we are talking so freely, Aghat Seldon, let
’
s compare my actions to yours, just for humor
’
s sake. We are trapped by the trees, with a key member of our party whisked away from under our noses without even raising an alarm. That
’
s a bloody threat to our security, among other things. Yet, you can find no better conversation topic than discussing my love life?
”

“
Not your love life. Your
duty
, Aghat Mai.”
Seldon shifted from foot to foot, his darting eyes searching for any support among the silent group.

“
Speaking of duty,
” Mai said, “
I believe in a situation like this, when you challenge my authority in the face of a deadly threat, the Code dictates for me to hack off your head, or do something equally unpleasant. However, just this once, I am giving you a chance to stand down and end this peacefully.
”

“How convenient,”
Seldon mumbled.

Kyth dropped his gaze just in time to see Mai
’
s hand unclench, a signal that sent all the Diamonds forward, their hands unfolding with blades that pointed at Seldon, who seemed too terrified to move. Mai remained in place, his posture losing none of its graceful ease.

“
We are at war, Aghat Seldon. Perhaps now is a good time for you to get this fact through your head?
”

“
Do you hope that if you win the war everyone at the Guild will just let you do whatever you please, for the rest of your life?
”

Mai
’
s body unfolded in a move that would have seemed leisurely if it hadn
’
t been so fast. His staff slid into his hand, as if alive, its tip pressing against Seldon
’
s throat. Watching wide-eyed, Kyth
’
s saw Mai
’
s finger resting at the spot where, as he knew, a hidden spring could release a retractable blade at a very light touch. At this angle the movement would likely sever Seldon
’
s head.

Seldon paled but he kept Mai
’
s gaze, calm and tranquil like the summer sky.

“
If we win this war,
” Mai said, “
I would gladly have a conversation with any of the Guild
’
s seniors who have issues with my command style. However, given that we are currently on the march, I cannot possibly afford to tolerate any further discussions of this kind, and will stop them by any means necessary. I
’
m sure you understand, Aghat.
”

Seldon
’
s eyes darted to the Diamonds around him, then finally dropped to the ground in a gesture of obedience.

“
Please forgive me, Aghat Mai,
”
he said.
“I
’
ve spoken out of turn. You are correct of course. I will gladly accept whatever punishment you deem warranted.
”

Mai stood still for a moment, then withdrew his staff. All the Diamonds around him lowered their weapons.

“
Consider it a warning, Aghat Seldon,
” Mai said. “
If you act bloody stupid yet again, I won
’
t be this forgiving next time.
”
He turned away and walked toward the line of trees, staring into their dense thicket.

Seldon swallowed. Hs flaring nostrils, the rolling muscles in his neck and throat, showed Kyth that beneath the death fear the man had just experienced he was fuming. Kyth
’
s own hands were shaking just from watching the encounter. Worse, he knew there was a grain of truth in Seldon
’
s words, even if now was definitely not the time to mention it at all. Mai
’
s and Kara
’
s affair couldn
’
t possibly come to any good, especially with the way it served as the focus of all Kaddim
’
s plotting.

Or perhaps it was Kyth
’
s own jealousy speaking?

He glanced around the group, noting how everyone was still tense and alert. Mai seemed like the only exception, his posture calm and relaxed as he strode back from the tree line. His eyes fell on Egey Bashi.