The Burden of Trust

by Nikki Frank

  I climbed back into my bed and under the covers. Iya curled against my back in moments.

  “You were right about Feran.” He gave me a warm kiss. “Goodnight, Livy.”

  I snuggled in against his chest, enjoying the proximity. “Goodnight, Iya.”

  I got to sleep late for a pleasant change. All night, vivid dreams kept my mind humming. Most made no sense at all—things like fishing for iridescent jellyfish with snakes for tentacles. But the dreams were so real that I could smell the salty air and feel the breeze.

  I spent breakfast trying to sort through the dreams for meaning but got nothing. Exhaustion must be taking a toll on me, but things would get better from here. We’d accomplished our goals, and we had a dragon guard for the journey back. No more battles awaited us, only diplomacy. Finally, we could all relax a bit.

  We’d been running non-stop since my magic started fluctuating almost two months ago. No longer being on edge would be a welcome break, because even though I had slept in, I barely felt rested.

  Iya wanted to take Tezky to Shandian’s palace since it was the closest to us. From there, we could plan and arrange for a joint government meeting at Iya’s own palace, the most centralized palace for both our countries. But if we wanted to reach Shandian’s by nightfall, we’d have to push hard again. I tried to steel myself for the trip.

  Chapter 21

  Bazyli kept shooting frightened glances at Feran as we walked. Who could blame him? He’d probably never seen a dragon, and dragons are never a thing to take lightly. Even my own were hired muscle, no matter how well we got along.

  I didn’t even make it to lunch before tripping on my own feet again. Feran lowered his head near mine. “Would you like to ride?”

  A huge sigh of relief escaped. I rode everywhere on Velor and Vixaria, but dragons rarely took passengers willingly. I wasn’t going to ask such a favor of a dragon brand new to my service. But if he volunteered . . .

  “Yes, please.”

  He crouched a bit and let me scramble up. Once I settled down, I rested against his warm scales. Dragons smelled like home to me, like sun-warmed rock.

  “Are you feeling all right?” Iya asked, falling into step beside Feran.

  “Yeah,” I yawned.

  “Your power’s stable, right?”

  “My power feels fine now that we’re outside those goblin wards. But between the pace we went, creating the blood bond, and the separation from my power for so long, it’s wiped me out. I must have gotten soft riding around on dragons.”

  Iya chuckled. “Glad to see you’re working to improve that.”

  “I don’t plan on being on adventures permanently. I’d kinda like to know what sort of life led my predecessor to having such a huge gut. A little laziness would be nice. Not to mention real food, not rations.”

  “Well, if you’re going to sit around and get a gut, can I?”

  “Ha, ha.” I stuck my tongue out at him. “I meant I wanted a break from all this.”

  “Now that I can agree with.”

  My stomach gave a monumental growl, and Iya laughed. “Need some lunch?”

  I laughed, too. “Yes, but I really wanted to eat at Shandian’s. It’s time for something not cooked over a campfire or dug out of my pack. Like soup, or a salad, or noodles, or rice, or fish, vegetables roasted with herbs. Oh my God. French fries. I’d give up Nobi or Naruhi for French fries.”

  “Hey. Why are we giving up my guard?” Iya asked. “Give Tezky up for the fries. Or let’s eat him for lunch.”

  “Can we not talk about eating one another?” Katriane had gone rather pale.

  “Sorry.” I’d forgotten her human sensibilities. “Just so you know, in my palace, it’s forbidden to serve any creature you can converse with. You’ll get normal food.”

  “What I eat is normal,” Iya protested. “So is Feran’s diet. Just because you’re not carnivorous—”

  “You mean indiscriminate,” I corrected. “There’s plenty of meat running around that doesn’t talk.”

  Feran gave a sigh. “So, I’ll be adjusting my diet as well?”

  “If you expect to stay employed with me.”

  He nodded his head.

  “Are you for real?” Prince Tezky aimed his disdainful question at me. “How can you call yourself a demon lord?”

  Iya snickered. “Oh, she’s got plenty of demonic tendencies. I highly recommend you not piss her off. Personally, I wouldn’t dare.”

  “That’s because she’s your—” Bazyli never got the rest out. Iya had attacked him with a snarl.

  He hissed something in the kobold’s ear, likely warning him to keep our pair bond a secret. We would have to announce it soon, but timing was everything.

  “You’re his what?” Tezky asked suspiciously.

  “Business partner,” I lied. “My district and his province share a border, and we’ve agreed to the first trade deal between Hakushi and the Central Borderlands. But we aren’t talking about it widely yet. Our governments haven’t been informed. Your father’s little scheme interrupted the smooth transaction of business.”

  “Ah.” Tezky fell silent for a moment. “If Hakushi and the Central Borderlands are doing business freely, you will further isolate the Goblin Kingdom.”

  “So?” Iya shrugged.

  “You’re all right with watching my kingdom suffer?”

  Without thinking, I slid from Feran’s back, grabbed Tezky, and hauled him back to Katriane, stuffing his face near her healing wounds.

  “Your kingdom is suffering?” I screamed. “Look what your father’s decree did! To an innocent civilian, and I know what your father was serving at his so-called banquet. Do you have any idea how abhorrent I find it that you eat live children? Do you want me to send my dragons into the Goblin Kingdom with blanket permission to eat young goblins alive? Do you know a single goblin in your kingdom who wants to see their child subjected to that?”

  I shook with fury at this point. “The Lord High Governor made a deal with the Goblin King for the sake of us imps. We need magic, and sending human children to you is the only way to generate it for ourselves. So magic-kind turns a blind eye and deaf ear as you eat humans, but eating any magic creature crosses the line. Katriane is tied to me and as good as magic-folk. You don’t need to do this to gain rations. It’s a sick habit you’ve let grow amongst your people like a fungus.”

  I shoved him to the ground. “Don’t spout shit about the suffering of your people to me. Your father stood ready to wipe us all out. Someday there might be trade with goblins, but first, you’re going to have to do one hell of a job proving your kind aren’t as horrible as I think. ‘Cause right now, I rank you lower than monster-fish, draugrs, and blood bat shit all put together.”

  I stalked back to Feran and climbed up. Iya pulled the stunned-looking Tezky to his feet.

  “I told you she had plenty of demon in her, and I warned you not to piss her off. I’d say more, but she pretty much summed it up. Though you’ll probably get an ample earful from the other demon lords once we arrive. Oh, and Olivia has the well-deserved reputation of being the kindest demon lord, so be prepared.”

  “Feran, find someplace pretty. We’re stopping for lunch,” I commanded.

  Taking me at my word, Feran found a hidden lake surrounded by weeping trees with silvery leaves. Slinking into the water, he returned with a claw full of fish.

  “You did say you wished for fish, right, Mistress?”

  I smiled and patted his snout. “I did. Thanks.”

  Bazyli materialized beside me with an arm full of wild herbs, tubers, and berries. “It’s not palace cooking, I’m sure. But they will go well with the fish.” He smiled shyly at me.

  I choked up a little. “Thanks, you guys.”

  Forty minutes l
ater, we all sat with steaming plates of herbed fish, mashed root vegetables, and berries. By far our best meal in days. I had such a warm fuzzy feeling inside.

  ~ ~ ~

  Sun dogs danced between the trees, all pink and glowing. Inside the shafts of light, little bugs and other specks shone brilliant red-orange. Iya had called a stop before reaching the palace, so we’d camp out one more night.

  For secrecy purposes, Iya made us separate beds. Two weeks ago, if you’d told me I’d miss having Iya in my bed, I’d have laughed. A week ago, I’d still have raised an eyebrow. But I did miss him. The most redeeming part of the night was we had no need to rush. We went to sleep at a decent hour, and no one woke me to hurry onward.

  The birds served as my alarm, waking me with their song. I stretched and slipped out of my bed, thankful for a proper night’s sleep for once. Now, to get a bunch more like it! Then I might feel fully well again.

  Naruhi had already gone hunting and brought back a sizable pile of eggs. Too bad we couldn’t have some toast or bacon with them. We would be at Shandian’s before lunch, and our days of sleeping in the woods and eating what we foraged would be over. The thought made me want to cartwheel.

  I ate the eggs so quickly that I burnt my tongue. I’d been feeling famished lately. Unfortunately, the berries we had with them left my stomach churning to the point I doubted my ability to keep breakfast in. I’d have checked to make sure the wrong sort of berry hadn’t gotten mixed in, but I’d eaten them all already. Maybe the problem was eating too fast. I needed to get back to regular meals so I could stop feeling so ravenous, then scarfing down the food wouldn’t be an issue.

  I couldn’t bring myself to rest after breakfast and hurried everyone on. Even with a dragon claw in his back, Tezky moved like a slug. He wasn’t the only one. How could a bunch of creatures with no baggage move so slow?

  Iya’s chuckle from behind me drew my attention. “What’s up?” I asked.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so happy. Your tail is practically dancing behind you this morning. You look . . . endearing.”

  I gave a little skip. “We’re nearly at Shandian’s palace, and then we’re done running. I haven’t had the real promise of being home in months.”

  “We’ll be at Shandian’s and then my palace for a while before you get back to the glass palace.”

  “Stop being the spit in my soup. Mmm . . . soup.” My mouth watered. “Do you think Shandian could arrange some for lunch?”

  “We just finished breakfast. But after we tell Shandian what we’ve done, he’d probably arrange a parade for you if you wanted. We’ve saved the Borderlands.”

  “And I have the blisters to prove it,” I joked, holding my foot out toward him.

  “I doubt that. You spent most of the trip riding your poor dragons. They have the blisters.”

  I started to tease back, but the trees opened to a huge, sloping field that rolled down to Shandian’s palace. The view silenced me.

  “Is that it?” I breathed. “It’s huge.”

  None of the other palaces I’d visited compared to the scale of this monster. His capital resembled a city built of blocks. Cubes, rectangles, cones, and spheres all balanced on one another and were all made of the same gleaming, seamless metal.

  “Shandian’s palace is something, isn’t it?” Iya said, far too casually. “But then he’s the oldest of the akuma lords. In five-hundred and thirty-some years, you have a lot of time to build.”

  “Shandian’s really that old?” Katriane squeaked. “I’m never going to get used to how long people live here.”

  “He was also my father’s closest friend,” Iya said as he reached to tap on the copper-colored circle door.

  The copper circle shimmered, and a stately, snow-white shi stepped through. He and Iya were conversing, so I took the opportunity to poke Naruhi.

  “How come you two are red-gold, and all the other shi are light? Tomi’s were silver and this white one—”

  Naruhi giggled. “Nobi and I are young shi. Tomi’s shi are well over two hundred, and looking at this grandfather, I’d guess he’s closer to four. They were all red-heads of some shade in their youth.”

  “Oh.”

  She stuck a nose in my back as our group went through the door to the palace. “Between you and our master, we’re likely to go white before our time. Just know when we do, it’s your fault.”

  “Hey, now.” I poked her nose. “You’re speaking to a demon lord.”

  “Don’t I know it. I’d have run off long ago otherwise.”

  “Oh.” My heart sank a little. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be trouble.”

  She purred and nuzzled at my face. “You’re worth the trouble. If you don’t believe me, consider how fast your little group grew and stuck with you. I only meant to tease you.”

  “I’m sorry.” Why the hell were my eyes watering? “I didn’t mean to be sensitive.”

  I dried my eyes before Naruhi could comment because we’d reached the throne room. My first glimpse of the third akuma lord surprised me. I’d seen him before. He and another akuma, who must have been Iya’s father, had come to protest my instatement as a demon lord. Resentment bubbled up. Those two had crossed closed borders just because they didn’t approve of the type of creature I am.

  A blush replaced my anger momentarily. Iya had encouraged me back then, before he knew me. I’d forgotten all about that. Had he remembered when I came to his palace looking for help? Iya had always been supporting me and my endeavors even when I wasn’t aware of it. How lucky I truly was.

  Anger came back when I thought of Shandian again. How were we going to broker diplomatic treaties when he found me an unfit ruler? Had my actions changed his mind? Or would I only ever be an imp in his eyes?

  Shandian cut a tall, lean, and regal-looking figure. His thin face sat below dancing flames of pale-yellow hair. He wore the same embroidered silk robes Tomi always wore. But while Tomi used greens and purples with silver embroidery, Shandian’s robes blazed in red and gold.

  He stood with shock on his face as Iya stepped forward, pushing Prince Tezky ahead of him. “Greetings, Lord Shandian. I come in my father’s place, finishing work you both undertook some time ago.”

  Iya ran through the whole story: my fight with the demon power, how our trip to Earth gave King Valkyv the excuse to move, our assassination of the Goblin King, our capture of Tezky, our plans for a round-up of the dangerous goblins, and hopes of a peace treaty.

  Bazyli listened with rapt attention. This would have given him a far better understanding of the situation than the previous versions we offered. Iya still left out any details about our pair bond. Obviously, it wasn’t time to drop that bomb, yet.

  Shandian hurried down from his throne and pulled Iya into a big hug. “You are truly your father’s son. He would have been proud. How can I help you, my boy?”

  “Can you please send shi to Tomi and Agma, as well as the other two demon lords from the Central Borderlands and the Lord High Governor? Have them all meet at my palace in one week. We need to deal with this threat in a unified fashion.”

  Shandian let out a hiss. “No need to involve the Central Borderlanders. They mean nothing to a threat which sits on our borders. Besides, they don’t care about us. In over five hundred years, there have never been open borders.”

  “The threat does mean something to them,” I let my voice ring loud and proud.

  Shandian turned a sneer on me. “And you are?”

  Iya caught my eye as he stepped slightly sideways. His eyes twinkled, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

  I stepped forward, held my chin high, and tucked both hands behind my back. “Demon Lord Olivia of the Central Borderlands. The assassin who killed King Valkyv. Though I’m a bit offended you didn’t remember since
you visited me on the day of my installation. Nor did Iya’s story tip you off. What other imp would be traveling in his company?”

  Scratching at him wasn’t good diplomacy, but the memories of our first meeting and his disregard for my current presence rankled.

  Shandian’s eyes were the only thing that betrayed his surprise. “Interesting.”

  “Danger of this magnitude could not be ignored by my fellow demon lords. The threat is far more important than any borders. The goblin disease saw no distinction between your citizens and mine. So why should we be divided in dealing with them?”

  “Perhaps you are right, my dear. I wasn’t aware anyone in the Central Borderlands had such an open mind.”

  “I think we could fill a library with what both of our countries are not aware of regarding our neighbors. It’s time to fix this. This goblin fiasco is a good place to start. Once we get a feel for cooperating with each other, I’d like to see what we can do about opening trade between our countries. And you’ll have to thank Iya and Tomi for the idea in the first place. I simply agreed.”

  This time he openly wore his surprise. “You’ve already agreed to trade?”

  “I can’t sign a trade deal without the approval of the Lord High Governor; however, I did agree to open negotiations. Trade is a good idea.”

  Shandian gave me a sleek smile. “We’ll see if the rest of your fellow lords are so . . . accommodating.”

  I crossed my arms and glared at him. “They will be if you can avoid being antagonistic and negative. Be open and reciprocal. By helping me control my demon power, Iya proved himself a true ally. In doing this mission together, we’ve shown the akuma of Hakushi to be trustworthy allies. Hopefully, the reverse is true, and you can see my sincerity and the open door to change through my actions.”