The next name set her heart pounding. “Kemassis, Ypertatos, called Undying, claimed by the Long Keeper during the Bloody Five.”
Kemassis had earned the name Undying because he’d been wounded more than a hundred times during his years fighting in the Hundred Weeks’ War. The Bloody Five had been the final battle in the war, a five-day melee that left more than a hundred thousand dead and thrice that number of wounded.
More and more names met her eyes. Shishak Queenslayer, savior of Shalandra during the Red Queen’s Blight. Bicheres the Bold, who sacrificed himself to buy Pharus Ati Bakenrath time to escape the Ravennath hordes. Tosorthros Stilltongued, the mute Blade said to have been twice the height of a man.
So many of the greatest heroes of Shalandra’s history had served in the Keeper’s Blades. All had been laid to rest here, in front of the Tomb of Hallar. A final honor.
Tannard fixed her with that stern, piercing glare. “We guard this place until Hallar’s return, or until the Hallar’s Chosen—the Child of Secrets, Child of Gold—arises. But only those that served well in life are selected to guard this place forever.” He thrust a finger toward those tombs. “But those Keeper’s Blades were worthy. Could you say the same of yourself after today?”
Issa’s face burned with mingled anger and shame. Shame that she had failed and anger that he’d actually expected her to succeed when he’d arrayed such uneven odds against her. Yet standing here, amid the tombs of the greatest heroes of Shalandra, she couldn’t help feeling guilty at her own failure.
She was a Keeper’s Blade—as mortal and human as anyone else in Shalandra, yet favored by the Long Keeper. As Tannard had said, by her failures, she insulted the god of death that had chosen her. As if he somehow made a mistake by elevating her above the rest of Shalandra. He needed no words now; the condemnation burning in his eyes buried a dagger in her gut. The aches and pains of her beating paled in comparison to the torment of her shame.
Tannard turned to the two Blades standing before the Tomb of Hallar and saluted. “Guardians of death, warriors of the fallen, you are relieved of duty. Your brothers stand ready to serve.”
The Blades returned the salute, turned to Issa and Hykos, and said in unison, “May the Keeper grant his eternal vigilance over Hallar’s final resting place.”
Issa repeated the words with Hykos, and she fell in step beside the Archateros as he marched toward the black stone wall to take up guard position. Hykos drew his huge black-bladed flammard and grounded the tip between his feet. Issa did likewise, matching his rigid, ceremonial stance.
Tannard’s gaze pierced her. “The Long Keeper makes no mistakes. He comes for one and all, from the lowest Mahjuri to the Pharus himself, claiming man, woman, and child in equal measure. Death will come for you. When that happens, where will you be buried?”
The words rang in Issa’s ears as the Invictus turned on his heel and marched off behind the two retreating Blades. The weight of her steel armor and flammard suddenly seemed an immense burden—one she had proven herself unworthy to bear.
Chapter Twenty-One
Kodyn’s gut clenched at the anger burning in Arch-Guardian Suroth’s eyes, the sharp movements of his fingers. Beside him, Aisha drew in a sharp breath.
Did Briana betray us? His eyes went to the petite Shalandran girl standing beside her father. He’d had to tell her his plan to steal the Crown of the Pharus—he’d need her help to get close enough to get his hands on the relic, which only Suroth was allowed to access during the Ceremony of the Seven Faces and the Anointing of the Blades.
“It’s not like that, Father!” Briana protested. She turned to Kodyn, eyes pleading and red-faced. “I’ve been trying to explain it to him.”
Arch-Guardian Suroth’s fingers fairly flew. “Explain that they’ve come here under the guise of stealing one of Shalandra’s most holy relics!” He shifted his stance—a subtle change, from relaxed and confident to wary, alert, one foot slightly back and knees bent, ready for a bare-handed attack. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t kill you both here and now.”
“Father!” Briana moved to stand between Suroth and Kodyn. “Don’t—”
“We want none of your Night Guild filth here!” Suroth’s eyes blazed.
“You know of the Night Guild?” Kodyn’s eyebrows rose.
“Of course.” The Arch-Guardian’s lip curled upward into a half-snarl, half-sneer. “Every city is home to such human refuse. Even here in Shalandra we have our own version: the Ybrazhe Syndicate. Little more than thieves and thugs, a stain on our city.”
“We’re not like that!” Kodyn protested.
“Or at least, we’re not.” Aisha’s gesture included the two of them. “We’re not here to steal the Crown of the Pharus. Or at least not in the way you’re thinking.”
Suroth’s expression darkened. “Explain,” he signed.
“No one could ever accuse the Night Guild of being law-abiding citizens,” Kodyn said quickly. “But our job is to maintain order in Praamis.”
The Arch-Guardian’s eyes narrowed and he gave a derisive snort.
“It’s the truth.” Kodyn squared his shoulders and stood straighter. “My mother is the Master of the Night Guild, and she receives orders from King Ohilmos himself.” He heard Aisha’s sudden intake of air—he’d have to explain that one to her later. “You know as well as I do that there will always be crime in cities like Praamis and Shalandra. The Night Guild is simply organized crime. Our assassins, thieves, poisoners, and brothel-keepers control the crime rate in the city, keeping things balanced and in order. In the last decade, during my mother’s reign as Guild Master, Praamis has known a peace and stability not seen for more than two hundred years.”
That last bit might have been exaggerated—he doubted that even Darreth, his mother’s fussy and all-knowing aide, would have facts that specific. But the grain of truth remained. Since the death of the last Master Gold, the Night Guild had driven the Bloody Hand out of Praamis, eradicated the flesh trade, cut off the supply of Bonedust and other drugs filtering into the city, and maintained order. It didn’t matter that they stood on the wrong side of the law; the Night Guild served as another form of justice and peacekeeping that the Praamian Guard could never match.
Suroth didn’t look convinced. “And yet, you are still nothing more than thieves sneaking into Shalandra, using the pretense of bringing my daughter home to me.” His eyes flashed. “How are you any better than the ones that took her from me?”
“Because we don’t actually want to take the Crown of the Pharus.” Kodyn met his gaze without hesitation. “We just need to steal it.”
He winced as he realized how stupid that sounded, so he tried again.
“To become full members of the Night Guild, each of us—” He gestured to Aisha and himself. “—have to complete an Undertaking, a task that proves our worthiness. Not only worthy of a place in the Guild, but worthy to serve the Watcher in the Dark, the god of thieves.”
“You claim the Watcher as your patron deity?” Suroth’s eyebrows rose. “I’m certain Judiciar Tealus might have something to say about that.”
“We’re not exactly part of his priesthood.” Kodyn grinned. “The Watcher in the Dark is the god of the night, of justice, and of vengeance. What is more just than stealing from those who have more than they deserve? Is there a holier vengeance than seeing murderers, rapists, and arsonists executed?”
Suroth inclined his head. “A well-chosen god, indeed.”
Kodyn’s heart leapt. He could see he was getting through to Suroth, though the Arch-Guardian hadn’t relaxed from his combative stance.
“When I found Briana held by the Gatherers,” Kodyn pressed on, “I insisted that I would bring her home. Yet I knew that I could not simply abandon my place in the Night Guild, my duties to my House and my mother. So I did the only thing I could: I chose an Undertaking that would bring me to Shalandra. The only thing I could think of was to steal the Crown of the Pharus. But I don’t actually ne
ed to steal it or take it away from Shalandra. All I need to do is prove that I can steal it.”
“That makes no sense.” Suroth looked confused.
Kodyn chuckled. “Let me tell you about my mother’s Undertaking. She chose to scale the highest tower in Shalandra—”
“The Black Spire?” For a moment, eager excitement sparkled in the Arch-Guardian’s eyes. “I have longed for years to visit that Serenii monument. Is it truly as tall as they say?”
“Taller.” Kodyn grinned. “And it is currently the residence of Duke Elodon Phonnis, Praamis’ Chief Justiciar and brother to the king. It was considered an impossible task, yet she determined to do it. All she had to do was scale the Black Spire and place a lit lamp in the uppermost room—simply to prove herself worthy and capable.”
“Ah, I understand.” Suroth nodded, and a fraction of the tension faded from his stance. “We have similar rituals at the Temple of Whispers.”
Relief surged within Kodyn. This might actually work! He had dreaded the inevitable confrontation when Arch-Guardian Suroth found out the truth. He’d hoped the goodwill earned by returning Briana would suffice to smooth over the Secret Keeper’s anger and suspicion, maybe even convince the Arch-Guardian to help. His Undertaking demanded that no one within the Night Guild offer aid—there were no rules against enlisting the help of others.
“To prove myself worthy, all I need to do is get my hands on the Crown of the Pharus and prove that I am capable of stealing it.” He gestured to Aisha. “My trusted companion came not only to help me protect your daughter, but to bear witness that I actually achieved the task.”
“See, Papa?” Briana’s tone turned scolding. “That’s what I was trying to explain!”
“And once your Undertaking is complete?” Suroth asked. “What then?”
“I have to return to Praamis before my eighteenth nameday,” Kodyn said. “But that is almost a year away. There is no reason I cannot stay in Shalandra and help protect Briana. Both of us.”
He shot Aisha a glance. Ria had sent Aisha along to watch his back, but something about her behavior since leaving Praamis told him she’d become embroiled in concerns of her own. He wanted to find out what that was and see what he could do to help, but until he did—or until she chose to clue him in—he’d have to focus on his own Undertaking.
Her nod indicated that she agreed. Hell, it had been her plan in the first place, so it was him agreeing with her.
“But that’s not our only reason for coming to Shalandra.”
The words poured from his mouth before he realized it. Something about Suroth made him want to be honest—if nothing else, he needed to be certain the Arch-Guardian wasn’t his enemy.
Skepticism shone in Suroth’s eyes. “There’s more? What else have you come to steal?” A hint of a scowl twisted his lips.
“Nothing.” Kodyn straightened and met the Arch-Guardian’s gaze without hesitation. “We’ve come to deal with the Gatherers.”
That sparked Suroth’s curiosity. He cocked his head, interested.
“The Gatherers murdered Praamians. Men, women, even children.” Anger surged within Kodyn. “Their damned rituals nearly killed a friend of mine, and I’ll be damned if I let them come back to my city and kill more of my friends. Aisha and I have come to find out as much as we can about them. If we can find a way to stop them, to put an end to their bloodthirsty rituals, I’m going to do it.”
He fixed Suroth with a solemn gaze. “You know they’re the ones that took Briana, which means you’re just as invested in dealing with them as we are. Together, we can find the ones responsible for Briana’s kidnapping and take them down.”
Suroth’s expression changed, his stubborn cynicism wavering in the face of Kodyn’s intensity.
“I swear,” Kodyn said, “in the eyes of the Watcher in the Dark and upon the life of my loved ones that I intended to return Briana home before I ever found out who her father was. But the fact that you are a member of the Keeper’s Council means that you are in a position where you can help me. That influenced my superiors within the Night Guild to accept my quest. That’s why I have been permitted to escort her safely home. But while I’m here, I’m going to do everything in my power to deal with the Gatherers.”
He fixed Arch-Guardian Suroth with a somber gaze. “From what Briana has told me, you are a good man in a city of vipers wearing the guise of Keeper’s priests. I understand if you feel you are unable to help me; indeed, I will not resent it if you decide to have me arrested for attempting to steal the crown. But you have my word that I will do everything in my power to protect your daughter, even if you cannot help me. And if you do help me with my Undertaking, I will do nothing to betray your trust or endanger your position in the city. Together, we can take down the people responsible for harming Briana.”
For emphasis, Kodyn drew out a dagger and pressed the edge against his palm.
“That will not be necessary,” Suroth’s hands flashed. A small smile tugged at his lips. “When one cannot speak, one learns how to listen. Not just with the ears, but with the eyes as well. I took your measure the moment you walked into my house. What you have just said confirms what I already knew. You are an honorable young man. And woman,” he added, turning to Aisha. “I believe that you truly do have my daughter’s best interests at heart, and that you will do as you say.”
The Arch-Guardian’s stance relaxed and he thrust out his right hand. “I will aid you in your Undertaking,” his left hand signed. “And, in return, you will help me keep my daughter safe.”
“Done.” Kodyn shook the man’s hand. He was surprised to feel the iron in Arch-Guardian Suroth’s grip. He’d expected the delicate hands of a scholar and instead found the solid strength of a warrior. “We will do whatever we can to help you find out who is behind Briana’s abduction and put an end to the Gatherers.”
“You realize that you are making powerful enemies, do you not?” Suroth’s eyes met his. “I have some influence in Shalandra, particularly among the Venerated, but the Necroseti wield far more political and financial power than I could ever hope to. It is only my position on the Keeper’s Council that has kept them at bay—until Briana’s abduction—but if we make moves against them, you may find yourself facing far graver threats than you can imagine.”
Kodyn grinned. “You really know how to sweet-talk a fellow, don’t you?”
Arch-Guardian Suroth’s eyebrows rose.
Aisha snorted. “If you’d ever met his mother, you’d understand. That woman hasn’t met a challenge she didn’t like.”
“So long as you understand what we are up against,” Suroth said. “I have already begun marshaling my allies to find out which Necroseti are behind the abduction, and my contacts are scouring the city to find the Gatherers. When the time is right, we will make a move. Until then, our only hope is to pretend as if all is well.” He pulled Briana into a tight embrace once more. “Beginning with my joy at my daughter’s safe return!”
“Good.” Kodyn turned to Aisha with a pointed look. “Now that we’ve got that settled, I’ve somewhere I need to be.”
Aisha raised an eyebrow. “Something more important than your new job as the Arch-Guardian’s daughter’s bodyguard?”
Kodyn nodded. “I need to speak to the Black Widow. Sooner is better, two hours ago is best. This is one woman we do not want to keep waiting. Those who do have a nasty habit of winding up dead.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
“He’s going to be fine, you know.” The quiet words pierced Aisha’s contemplation. She looked up and found Briana standing next to her on the garden’s balcony.
The girl had changed into Shalandran garb—a tight-fitting kalasiris that emphasized her petite figure, lace-up calf-high leather sandals, and a golden headdress decorated with strings of pearls, emeralds, and a single diamond in the center of her forehead—that made her look much more like a Dhukari’s daughter.
“He has the gold-and-green headband and sigil marking hi
m as my father’s servant,” Briana said. “The Indomitables won’t give him trouble. Anyone else tries, well, you know his skill in a fight better than me.”
“Of course.” Aisha returned Briana’s smile. The Shalandran girl meant well, but she misunderstood the meaning behind Aisha’s dour stare.
A part of her couldn’t help worrying about Kodyn. He has his mother’s skill and cunning, but also her temper and impetuosity. Kodyn could fight or talk his way out of a lot of situations, but likely he’d get himself into those situations with his biting wit and stubborn refusal to back down from a confrontation. Ria had sent her along to watch his back, but right now safeguarding Kodyn was the last thing on her mind.
Her eyes strayed once toward the massive cliff wall that marked the western boundary of Shalandra. She’d thought being around the Keeper’s Blade was bad. On the road, every time she’d glanced at Ormroth, she couldn’t help seeing those translucent, blue-white spirits clinging to that strange black metal sword of his. Yet since her arrival in Shalandra, she had come to understand why it had been named “City of the Dead”.
No one but she—or another Spirit Whisperer—would see the spirits, but the presence of the Kish’aa in Shalandra was immense. Thousands of ghostly figures fixed their eyes on her, their mouths open in unheard cries and pleas. The Kish’aa roamed the streets, drifting about on the wind’s currents, floating through crowds that could not hear their desperate cries.
But to the west, near the Keeper’s Crypts, Aisha could hardly see the golden sandstone cliff through the mass of Kish’aa that clustered around the tombs. The brilliance of their spirits was blinding, a churning, seething mass of energy that gyrated like eddies in a whirlpool. She had not yet learned to hear their words as her father had, but their whispers dug sharp fingers into her mind, pulling at her consciousness. They called to her; it took every ounce of her strength to remain standing still when she wanted to both allow herself to be drawn toward them and flee as far as she could.
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