Fresh tears stung Aibek’s eyes and blurred his vision. He almost couldn’t bear the thought of losing both his parents in one night, especially after so many years without them, but he couldn’t ask his mother to stay alone and adrift just for him. He had his Aunt Ira. He had Marah. And a baby to plan for. And a whole forest full of friends and neighbors.
“I’ll be all right.” The words came out harsh and hoarse, but he pressed on. “You shouldn’t have to face an eternity alone, and I don’t plan to join the spirit realm for a very long time. Be happy. Be loved. I’ll never forget you.”
Kiri touched him once on the hand and vanished, leaving Aibek utterly alone, perhaps forever.
No. No, he reminded himself again. He wasn’t alone. He didn’t try to hide his tears when he left the sitting room and made his way down the hall to the room where Marah slept. He wouldn’t wake her, but he needed to be near her.
27
Cleanup
Aibek woke with a start, his heart pounding, and listened for the sound that had dragged him from sleep.
Metal clanged somewhere nearby. Though the sound was muffled, it wasn’t distant. Aibek sat up, struggling to move quietly and keep from waking Marah unless he had to. Soreness had set in while he slept, and his legs burned and ached when he stood. No light shone through the curtains, but whether he’d slept through the day and night had fallen or whether the curtains simply blocked all the light, Aibek couldn’t say.
Tap tap tap.
Aibek leapt away from the rug. The noise had come from the floor beneath the plush tapestry.
The tapping came again, louder this time.
His heart slammed against his ribs, and he glanced over to where Marah slept, tucked in among a mountain of quilts on the king’s four-poster bed. He might not be a king, but she certainly deserved a room fit for a queen.
Instead of waking her, he pulled the curtains around the bed and grabbed his sword. Careful not to make a sound, he padded, barefoot, around the room and pulled on the rug, moving it to the side wall opposite the door. A wooden trap door in the floor rattled, and the tapping sound came once more.
He debated downing a vial of the Bokinna’s tincture, but he only had two left, so he resisted the urge. Moving with all the stealth he could manage, he inched closer to the trap door. The muscles in his back and legs screamed in protest when he knelt and slid the iron latch away.
Metal hinges groaned and squealed, and the door swung upward. Aibek staggered back, bringing his sword up and preparing to face whatever threat invaded his space.
A serpent’s head the color of swamp moss squeezed through the too-small opening, and Aibek couldn’t contain a shout.
Marah sighed and shifted behind the curtain, and the beast turned its head to stare at the bed with a soft green eye.
“No!” Aibek threw himself between the snake and the bed, sore muscles forgotten in the rush to defend Marah.
The animal drew back, its narrow pupil widening in surprise.
“I mean you no harm.” The snake’s long tongue made language difficult, and each word was drawn out and the statement ended with a soft hiss. “You are the one the Bokinna has chosen, are you not?”
Again, the snake drew out every word. Irritation rose in Aibek’s chest by the end of the question. He wanted to answer before snake finished speaking but couldn’t bring himself to interrupt such a beast.
“I don’t know about chosen, but I’m helping defend her, yes.”
He wondered if this was the same serpent that had killed Amiran only a few months before.
Deadly silence stretched, and Aibek itched to break it. If only he knew what to say that wouldn’t get him killed.
The serpent struggled further into the room, stopping when his head brushed the ceiling. Aibek swallowed, trying to will some moisture into his mouth. He decided to use the same authoritative tone he used to solve disputes in Nivaka. He cleared his throat, hoping he’d be able to speak.
“I’m Aibek,” he finally croaked. “What can I do for you?”
“I am Nulsha, servant to the great Saethem.” His head bobbed in an awkward bow. “I am here to help you.”
The snake squirmed further into the room. “Do you know there are men in these tunnels? Many men. Men with swords. Men with spears and bows and arrows. Are they your men?”
Aibek frowned. The Tsari’s fighters didn’t know the tunnels existed. And if they had, they wouldn’t know to be wary of the maogir or how to avoid the haseriet. A shudder ran through Aibek at the memory of fleeing those awful creatures.
“No,” he answered after a pause. “They’re not mine. My men wouldn’t brave those tunnels, not knowing what’s down there.”
The serpent’s long pupil dilated, shoving the pale green to the side. “What’s down here? Surely nothing scarier than me?”
“The only creatures that could threaten you are called haseriet. They’re bloodthirsty insects that feed on injured or dying animals. They’re drawn by the smell of blood, and they hunt in swarms large enough to overwhelm and kill an ox in seconds.”
The snake cocked its head to the side and blinked. Three sets of eyelids covered each beady eye, coming from different directions and meeting in the center. Aibek suppressed another shudder.
“So I only need to make one bleed, and they will all die? That’s easier than I expected.”
“If you make someone bleed down there, then you’ll have to get out of the tunnels in a hurry. They’ll come after you just as fast as they’ll attack the men.”
A soft hiss filled the air as Nulsha considered this. “What should I do? You are in danger. They surround the castle.”
“How fast are you? Can you injure one and get away from the city in a hurry?” Unbidden, the image of the tincture vial flashed in Aibek’s mind. He only had two left. Surely, this creature needed it more than he did, especially now that the battle was over, right? He didn’t wait for the serpent to respond.
Aibek grunted and reached beneath his nightshirt. “The Saethem gave me this. You need it more than I do now.”
Nulsha stared, his head cocked to one side. “Is that made from her seeds?”
“It is. It will give you strength and speed. Here, bend down.” Aibek popped the little cork off the vial and held it up. When the snake opened his mouth, Aibek poured the oily liquid into his mouth, careful to avoid the razor-sharp teeth. Faruz had said the snake’s venom had killed Amiran in less than an hour. His hands shook when he lowered the vial and waited for the serpent to respond.
“That feels… quite strange. I will get rid of these enemies below the city. You may rest easy. Thank you for taking care of my mistress and her sister.”
Aibek searched his mind for an appropriate response, but before he could come up with one, the serpent had contracted on himself and disappeared through the trap door. Terrified of the creatures Nulsha was about to summon, Aibek hurried to close the door and latch it shut.
“Stay safe, friend,” he whispered before he pulled the rug back over the trap door. He scurried back to the bed and beneath the covers, but his ears pricked, searching for any hint of the danger below.
When no sound met his ears after a long while, he fell into a fitful sleep. He dreamed of lost friends, of parents he’d known only too briefly, and of dangers he’d faced and survived.
Faint blue light filtered through the windows when a knock at the door woke Aibek once more. He swung his legs free of the blankets and padded to the door in his bare feet. He pulled the door open a crack and met the eye of the soldiers stationed in the hall.
“Sir, we don’t know what’s happening, but it’s got the whole palace awake.”
Aibek cocked his head and listened. Screams echoed through the halls, punctuated by a faint buzzing that made the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck stand on end.
“Whatever you do, don’t open those trap doors.” He relayed the midnight encounter with the serpent and his own experience with the haseriet. The sol
diers eyes widened with every word Aibek spoke.
Courtesy forgotten, the man ran off to spread the word to keep all the trap doors closed and locked against the threat below. Aibek closed the door and eased himself into the chair beside the hearth. He stared into the dying fire and listened to the horror unfolding beneath the palace.
“I hope you got out all right, Nulsha,” he whispered.
In the predawn light, he focused his senses and listened to the night, stretching his awareness outward, searching for the familiar, guiding voice of the Bokinna. He needed to know she had survived the night. Deep down, he knew the battle had flared in the Tsari at the same time he’d fought the enemy in Xona.
Minutes stretched into hours, and Aibek’s frustration grew. If the dragons and Nulsha could hear the ancient beings from inside the city, he should be able to do the same.
“Hello, boy. I’ve heard so much about you.”
The voice carried on the breeze through the open window, bringing Aibek up short. He searched the room for the source of the voice, and when he saw nothing, he stuck his head through the window and searched his surroundings.
Nothing.
“You have proven yourself worthy. You have defeated my champion, befriended my child, and overcome every obstacle you have faced. Most impressive.”
The voice wasn’t unlike that of the Bokinna or Saethem, except it had a distinctly masculine quality.
“Who are you?” Aibek whispered into the morning mist.
“Who am I? I am as old as time itself, but still as young as the day I first existed. I am the ruler of the mountains, the lord of the tree sprites and mountain elves. I am the brother of the ones you call Bokinna and Saethem.”
Recognition flickered in Aibek’s mind. Pagi had spoken of a brother. “How do I know you are who you say you are?”
“You don’t. For now. Run back to your forest home. Ask the one you call Bokinna. She will tell you who I am. And that my friendship is not something freely or lightly given.”
“Very well. I will talk to you once I’ve talked to the Bokinna. If you are who you say you are, then I would be most grateful for your friendship.” Somewhere in his chest, Aibek knew the voice belonged to the one Pagi had called Zirvesi. No other beings could speak to him on the wind.
“Aibek?” Marah’s voice pulled him from the window.
Empty loneliness filled him—the same feeling he’d had when the Bokinna had turned her attention away from him.
“Who are you talking to?” Marah poked her head out between the heavy curtains. “It’s so early.” She frowned. “Have we slept all day and all night, too? It looks like morning again.”
Aibek rushed to her side. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. How are you feeling? Are you sore? Can I get you anything?”
A smile brighter than the sun lit her face, rendering Aibek speechless for the moment. “Does that mean you’re all right with… with everything?”
He pulled her into his arms. “We’ll face whatever today brings together, and tomorrow, too.”
* * *
As soon as Faruz has managed to sleep, bathe, and eat a meal fit for a king, he summoned the rest of the mayors to meet with him in his home. The Bokinna’s handiwork had brought all the villages close enough to shout from one to the next, which had become the preferred method of communication in the previous week. This time, though, Faruz thought it worth the formality of sending out fairies.
The afternoon sun hung high in the cloudless sky when the mayors filed into Nivaka.
“What is this about? Surely you know we have our own dead to mourn and our own damage to repair?” Iriz snapped before she’d even stepped into his home. “We don’t have time to be socializing.”
Faruz forced himself to keep his tone civil. “Is that what you think this is? A social call?”
A flush filled her round cheeks and she glanced around at the assembled leaders. She sounded meek and tired when she spoke. “No, of course not. I’m sorry. I think we’re all a bit on edge.”
She hurried to the sofa and settled in beside Zifa without meeting anyone else’s eyes.
Several more mayors filed in behind her and settled into open chairs and onto chests around the edge of the room.
When everyone had quieted down, Faruz stood at the center of the group and addressed them.
“Thank you all for coming. Some of you may already be aware that our representatives in Xona fought the enemy at the same time we did last night.” A murmur moved through the group. “For those who haven’t heard, Aibek and his dragon riders, along with the army we sent, were successful in driving the enemy out of Xona. Even better, he fought and killed Helak. Our struggles with that overlord are finally at an end.”
The mayors stood and cheered and clapped each other on the back and shoulders, completely drowning out the last words Faruz spoke.
He waited until the celebration died down before continuing. “It’s likely that Aibek will be crowned the new king of Xona, which means he will be in the city for a while. I’ve thought about it all morning, and I think it would be best to send a few dragon riders out to meet him there and develop a plan to develop a new, unified government.”
“What does that mean, ‘unified?’” Iriz’s ruddy cheeks turned almost scarlet under her angry flush. “You want us to be ruled by the king all the way up in Xona?”
“No, that’s not what I said. I said we need to discuss our options, nothing more.” Faruz took a deep breath, searching for the words to make them understand how important this was. “Still, we need to make sure the rulers in the city don’t forget about us again. If we’d had their armies twenty years ago, Helak’s forces could have been tossed out on their ears before they had the chance to take the forest.”
“How do you propose we manage that? If Aibek’s the new king, he shouldn’t need anyone to remind him of us, right?” The question came from behind him, and Faruz wasn’t sure which mayor had spoken.
Zifa answered before he could. “You don’t really think Aibek’s going to stay there and take the throne, do you?”
“Well, what else would he do? Doesn’t everyone dream of being a king someday?” That was Iriz again. Faruz turned to face her, feeling somewhat like a child’s top as he spun to answer questions.
“Not Aibek,” Faruz said, chuckling. “He wouldn’t even be the mayor if he’d have found some way to refuse without hurting everyone’s feelings.”
“He’s right,” Zifa chimed in. “Aibek will hand that crown off at the first opportunity—assuming he accepts it in the first place. We need some way to make sure whoever takes the throne doesn’t forget us again.”
“We can’t send everyone. Most of us need to stay here, make sure everything gets back to normal, finish the cleanup, that sort of thing,” a short, stocky mayor with receding hairline said.
“You’re perfectly right,” Faruz answered. “I was thinking three or four would be plenty. I’ll stay here, since Aibek’s already in the—”
A tapping at the door stopped him short, and he turned again to see who had knocked. He reached for the door, but it swung open and Valasa poked his shaggy silver head through.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but you should come…” The healer’s voice was softer than Faruz had ever heard it, but it left no room to argue.
Outside in the daylight, Faruz blinked up at the old man. “What is it? What’s happened?”
“It’s Serik. He’s finally awake.”
“What changed? You’ve tried everything already.” Faruz couldn’t contain the joy of knowing his and Aibek’s friend would be all right.
“Everything, right. I tried everything except the tincture. It never crossed my mind until you used it to help all the people injured last night.”
A fresh wave of happiness filled Faruz’s chest. He couldn’t wait to tell Aibek. He probably still thought his mentor was dead, Faruz realized with a start. He’d found Serik after Aibek had already left for the city.
“How are you feeling?”
“I feel…” Serik held his gnarled hands out in front of him and grinned. “I feel strange, but I’m alive, and that’s all that matters for now.”
“It’s so good to see you awake.” Faruz couldn’t think of anything else to say, so he sat, grinning stupidly and watching his old friend eat.
Serik finished his roast and set down his fork. “Tell me what I’ve missed. Are we gearing up for battle? How is the training with the dragons going? Has Aibek learned to master the power?”
Faruz laughed. “No, we’re not gearing up for anything.” He explained everything that had happened while Serik had lain unconscious and ended with the plans to send a group to Xona. “Will you go? Do you think you can? Aibek doesn’t know you’re alive. He’ll be so happy to see you.”
“Now, don’t you think that’s a bit much to put on him this soon?” Valasa boomed from the open door. “The man just woke up half an hour ago.”
“You’re taking dragons, you say?” Serik grinned again and guzzled the last of his famanc. “I think a bit of time in the sky would do me just fine. I’d love to go.”
28
Reunion
A soft tapping at the door woke Aibek. A few days had passed since the battle and the horror in the tunnels, but nothing had been settled in the city yet. Judging by the light streaming through the curtains, he guessed it wasn’t long after dawn. Careful not to wake Marah, he threw on his clothes and answered the door in his stocking feet. If shoes were required, he’d have to put his boots on in the hall.
The Nivaka Chronicles Boxed Set Page 88