The Guild of Assassins

by Anna Kashina

  She realized she was dozing off only when she felt Mai’s arms enfolding her, lifting her off the table, carrying her upstairs. She rested her head on his shoulder, quietly inhaling his scent, savoring it while no one could possibly catch her at it. His hold was so calming, and leaning against his chest she felt her stress slowly release, forcing the memory of pain to the back of her head. She wished he could stay with her, hold her like this until she drifted off to sleep. But there was, of course, no possibility of it, with all the other people that flooded the room behind him and then slowly departed one by one, throwing concerned glances over their shoulders. Kyth was among them, and she did her best to reassure him with a smile. She must have scared the hell out of him, both by taking the hit and by going berserk from the pain afterward.

  Mai remained, kneeling by her bed.

  “Are you going to be all right?” he asked quietly.

  Yes, if you stay with me, she wanted to say, but she only nodded, responding to his concerned look with a quiet smile. His eyes told her so much, how afraid he had been to lose her, how relieved he was to see her alive. She would have done the same for anyone else in his place. But the fact that it was him had made the stakes so much higher.

  “Sorry for causing so much havoc,” she said.

  His gaze wavered. “Just promise me you’ll never do anything like this again.”

  She smiled. There was no way in hell she would ever give him such a foolish promise. If she had to do this over and over again, she wouldn’t hesitate.

  “I’ll see you at practice,” she said. “Tomorrow morning, I hope.”

  He nodded. For a moment it seemed to her that he was going to say something else, but he kept his silence as he rose to his feet in one quick move, stepping through the door and closing it behind him.

  31

  NUMBERS

  Kyth paused in the doorway, looking through at the inn’s back yard transformed into training grounds. Kara was practicing in the corner, doing a complex exercise routine on a horizontal bar that involved one-handed pull-ups, hand-stands, twists, and somersaults. It looked far too strenuous for someone who had nearly died less than a day ago, and so breathtaking that he found it impossible to look away. Kyth could see how she was testing each of her muscles, her reflexes, making sure she was fully fit for action.

  Several servants from the inn stood at the sides, gaping. Kyth didn’t blame them. Diamonds could move like no one else, and Kara’s grace and beauty made the sight that much more spectacular.

  He leaned against the door frame, allowing himself a moment to enjoy the view. The events last night had been far too much. Seeing Kara get hit felt as if the dagger had hit him too, even before the look on Mai’s face told him how serious it was. Watching her writhe in agony as the cure worked its course left him nearly as exhausted as she looked afterward. And now, seeing her back on her feet made him realize anew how much he cared about her, how important it was for him to see her well, even if she didn’t belong to him anymore. While she was around he had hope, and this hope was one of the very few things that kept him going.

  He started as he suddenly became aware of another figure standing by the wall across the doorway, looking outside. Mai, his black-clad shape so still that he blended with the shadows. Kyth took a breath, forcing down his racing heart. Damn this stealth that enabled Diamonds to appear all but inanimate, like statues, nearly invisible at a distance of only a few feet. He glanced sideways, but Mai was not looking at him, his eyes focused on the action in the courtyard.

  Kyth’s gaze was inadvertently drawn to Mai’s face, noting the paleness, the dark circles under his eyes, the strain in the set of his shoulders, usually so easy and relaxed. His heart quivered. Now that he fully understood how Mai felt about Kara, he could also relate to what Mai had lived through last night. Watching Kara get hit, taking a dagger that was intended for him. Calling off the attack and rushing back at full speed, knowing that even putting every bit of his strength into the run may not be enough to make it on time. Holding her down during her agony, fully aware that he was causing more pain, powerless to do anything at all to ease it. Watching her ordeal had been draining, her recovery such a big relief for Kyth. But for Mai, so closely involved in every step, these feelings must have been amplified many times over.

  And now, as the commander of their force, Mai had to take Kara back into action, with full knowledge that something like this might happen again and he may not be able to save her next time. Kyth knew Mai enough to realize that, despite everything, Mai wouldn’t hesitate to do it, and that if she died next time it would shatter him. Hell, the Kaddim were probably counting on that, having a man on the inside who knew every detail about the Majat Guild. Kyth had seen the effort they had put into taking Mai down. They’d probably put in the same effort, if not more, next time.

  He thought about his own part in the attack last night. After all the training he had received, protecting twelve men in action had seemed easy. In fact, he realized that wielding his power had been far easier for him than wielding a blade. It all came down to details. His power wasn’t exactly like a weapon, even if he envisioned it that way. It was more versatile, and he could handle it much better than he could ever master a sword. Treating his skill like an extension of his weapons practice was a mistake, a costly one that reduced his power to only a fraction of what he was capable of.

  He turned and stepped up to Mai’s side.

  He expected a reaction, but the Diamond just kept still, watching the action outside. He was exhausted, Kyth realized. Despite everything, he probably hadn’t had any sleep last night. And he couldn’t possibly afford to show it.

  Would Kyth ever be able to lead his people as well as this when his time came?

  “Mai…” he began.

  The Diamond turned to him, his look so weary that for a brief moment Kyth felt worried. Then Mai shifted, a barely perceptible ripple through his body making him look like a statue coming alive.

  “What?” Mai said briskly.

  Kyth did his best to ignore the impatient undertones.

  “Use more men for your next attack. I can protect them.”

  Mai’s eyes slid over Kyth with quick appraisal. “How many?”

  “As many as you need.”

  Mai shook his head. “I’ve seen you fight. You can maybe handle fourteen, fifteen if you extend yourself, but–”

  “It’s not about my skill with the blade.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  Kyth clenched his teeth. A short time ago he had been feeling sorry for this man. And now, with just a few quick words, he had snapped back into his old irritation. He could already see this conversation going down the drain, like many of their previous ones.

  “No, it’s not, damn it,” he snapped. “Why don’t you just listen for a change?”

  Mai raised his eyebrows.

  “When I defended you in the Grasslands,” Kyth went on, “when I protected Raishan in the Illitand Hall, I couldn’t even pretend to follow all your moves. Hell, I couldn’t even see some of them when you moved very fast. Yet I did it just fine. The same applies here. I realized it last night. My skill resembles sword fighting, but it’s not the same. I don’t have to be able to follow the moves of your fighters to defend them. When I protect your men, all I need to do is keep them in sight. I can extend it to any visible distance, covering any numbers.”

  Mai’s eyes narrowed, and Kyth was relieved to see a shade of doubt in his gaze. “You can?”

  “Yes.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “I just am.”

  “Not good enough.”

  Kyth sighed. “Your spearhead attack is not working very well, you saw it yourself. The Kaddim are too sneaky to defeat with a small force, even one as good as yours. Besides, the man leading them knows all your weak spots. The only way you can overcome them is with numbers, and you know it.”

  Mai’s smile lit up with sarcasm. “Since when are you so proficie
nt in military tactics?”

  Kyth took a breath, reminding himself of the strain Mai had been under and of the uselessness of breaking into an argument.

  “Send everyone,” he said. “Besides evening the chances on the battlefield, the Jades alone would make all the difference. If they’re around, no one else would be able to go for a ranged attack.”

  “There is no way in hell you can protect everyone.”

  “Look,” Kyth said. “You do want my help to kick the Kaddim’s ass, don’t you?”

  Mai glanced at him with amusement. “I see you’ve been learning diplomacy.”

  “I have a good teacher.” Kyth ran his hand through his hair with an exasperated gesture. “Can you just please stop being so bloody stubborn about everything? You have nothing to prove to me, and you know it.”

  Mai shook his head. “Perhaps. But you have a hell of a lot to prove to me. It’s the lives of my men we’re talking about if you bloody fail.”

  Kyth didn’t want to get upset, but he couldn’t help it. Why couldn’t Mai just stop being such an asshole about everything? They were on the same damned side, weren’t they?

  “The lives of your men?” he demanded. “You should be the last one to talk about that. I did my part last night, and you… It’s a bloody miracle you are still alive. If it wasn’t for Kara, you’d be dead. You lost two Rubies. You think after what happened I’m the one to prove something to you?”

  Mai’s eyes flared, but as Kyth held his gaze, the Diamond slowly relaxed his shoulders. His face darkened. Kyth knew he had hit the most sensitive spot, but was past caring.

  “Do you think,” he pressed on, “now that you’ve shown weakness, the Kaddim are going to leave you alone? If they think they have a way to take you down, they’ll come after you again and again, until they finish the job. You’ll still face the same choice, but on their terms.”

  Mai’s short glance stopped him. “Are you trying to make a point?”

  “Yes, damn it. I want you to trust me. As a commander, you were hopefully taught that to win a difficult battle you have to take risks.”

  Mai looked at him sideways. “How the hell do you know a thing like that?”

  Kyth sighed. “I’ve been reading… Does it really matter?”

  “No.” Mai appeared to hesitate. Then, a barely perceptible ripple went over his body again, shifting away any signs of strain, snapping him back to his graceful and arrogant self.

  Damn, this man could shift between modes as if flipping a deck of cards. How could Kara possibly find him trustworthy? Kyth dismissed the last thought as he looked at Mai expectantly.

  “All right,” Mai said. “We’ll try it your way. But you’d better be bloody sure.”

  Kyth looked at him wearily.

  “Of course I’m bloody sure,” he said. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  32

  INSIGHT

  Egey Bashi paused in the depth of the inn’s common room, watching Kyth and Mai by the doorway engaged in a conversation that looked more like an argument. The Keeper shook his head. He needed to talk to Mai, but the topic he had in mind was too delicate to break in amidst this kind of disagreement, whatever it was this time. Perhaps it was better to wait until both of them ran out of steam. By their looks, it was likely to happen soon. Both men were clearly exhausted. Egey Bashi hoped that, whatever attack plans Mai was harboring for the next try, he would have enough sense to give everyone, especially himself, at least a day’s rest.

  Last night’s events had taken an alarming turn. The Kaddim’s tactics had been devious, the way they lured the attackers into the first available space that could accommodate enough men to resist the Majat, the way they focused their entire attack on Mai. Had they taken him down, it would have been disastrous, but even with Kara’s interference the Kaddim nearly succeeded in dealing an irreversible blow. Kara’s death would not only have reduced their Diamond force by a quarter, but would have destroyed morale once and for all. Worse, the effect her wound had had on Mai demonstrated a weakness the Kaddim were likely to explore next time.

  Egey Bashi was probably the only one who truly understood how close it had been with Kara’s healing. Under normal circumstances Egey Bashi would never have agreed to use the elixir on her until he could be certain she was in no immediate danger. So many things could have gone wrong, even with someone of Kara’s training and self-control. For a moment, when she went berserk, Egey Bashi was afraid the strain would kill her before the cure could get a chance to set. Anyone else in her place would likely have died. Only her strength and resolve enabled her to regain control in time to allow the healing to take its course, and, even with that, Egey Bashi could not be certain until the very end if the pain was going to kill her despite the elixir’s incredible potency.

  The conversation showed no signs of stopping, and Egey Bashi was beginning to contemplate whether he should join it anyway. Just then, soft footsteps behind him announced the arrival of Lady Celana, emerging from an inner doorway. She stopped by his side, following Egey Bashi’s gaze to the two arguing men.

  “May I join you, Magister?” she asked.

  “I would be honored, my lady.” Egey Bashi turned, studying her with curiosity. The royal lady could blend in well. In her dark pants outfit, with hair tucked into a smooth arrangement around her head, she still looked refined and beautiful, but also inconspicuous, making her all but unnoticeable in the inn’s busy routine. So different from the times when she donned her splendid royal gown, making all heads turn as she passed by.

  “There is something I wanted to discuss with you about the Kaddim, Magister,” she said.

  “The Kaddim, my lady?” Egey Bashi raised his eyebrows. This was not what he’d expected her to say.

  “I have been reflecting on everything I’ve learned about the ways of the Kaddim,” Celana said calmly. “Both from the chronicles and from personal accounts of various people who have seen them in action. Prince Kythar’s comments have been most insightful as he appraised me on his observations.”

  Egey Bashi crossed his arms on his chest. He couldn’t wait to hear what the devious mind behind this smooth porcelain forehead was able to conjure with the help of Prince Kythar, whose mere mention brought a faint color to Celana’s cheeks. At least somebody here was smitten with the Prince, and he couldn’t even imagine what fruit this affection had produced this time.

  “From my reading,” Lady Celana said, “I know that the Kaddim Brotherhood is headed by twelve men, who report directly to their leader. They are called a ‘Cursed Dozen’. These men are the only ones referred to as Brothers, unlike others that serve more of the utilitarian functions, such as fighting and servitude. As such, without the Cursed Dozen the Kaddim wouldn’t even be a brotherhood anymore.”

  Egey Bashi nodded. He knew it too, even if this knowledge didn’t seem to be of much use in their current attack plans.

  “Thinking back on everything I have recently learned about the Kaddim,” Celana went on, “I believe that the members of the Cursed Dozen possess different, complementary powers that secure their roles among the twelve and provide a range of abilities that makes the Kaddim much more capable than anyone realizes. Perhaps these different powers have enabled them to survive through centuries, when everyone believed them to be extinct.”

  Egey Bashi raised his eyebrows. Her glance showed that she acknowledged his surprise. It also showed a glimpse of hidden satisfaction. Egey Bashi’s skin prickled. Even with his knowledge of how smart she was, he apparently hadn’t been giving her enough credit. It seemed that she was aware of her “smoke screen”, fully utilising the fact that no one expected much from a seventeen year-old beauty. Furthermore, she was likely using it for her gain, where possible. Like now, when she had disarmed him by throwing in a topic of the conversation he completely hadn’t expected.

  “Different powers?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “How so?”

  “Do you recall the t
ime when Kaddim Nimos encountered us on the road to the Majat Guild?”

  “What about it?”

  Lady Celana smiled. “It seemed that his only goal that time had been to seed rivalry in our midst, by hinting at certain… personal feelings that he knew would bother Prince Kythar and put him at odds with Aghat Mai.” She blushed again, briefly glancing to the two men in question, still arguing. “Remarkably, Kaddim Nimos demonstrated amazing knowledge of the relationships involved and seemed to know the exact words to say and what information to hold back to produce the maximum effect.”

  Egey Bashi listened with captivation. She was right. She was also showing exceptional insight, even if he still wasn’t sure what she was driving at.

  “Prince Kythar,” Celana went on, “also told me that Nimos did similar things during your last trip to the Majat Guild. That time, Nimos seemed to be more focused on making sure that everyone was aware of his bad intentions toward the Prince and of how unthinkable it would be if he had his way. He made several appearances, as I heard, each of them greatly disconcerting Aghat Kara and demonstrating to everyone that he and his men could, if needed, take down Aghat Raishan.”

  “Yes,” Egey Bashi said slowly. He had been there both times Nimos interfered with their trips. Lady Celana was recounting it right, even though he still couldn’t make the connection.

  “I feel,” Celana went on, “that Kaddim Nimos has been acting this way because he was likely appointed to the task. It also struck me that the things he said – especially about Aghat Mai – are not commonly known.” She blushed again, glancing briefly toward the arguing men. “This made me wonder whether Nimos might somehow possess an innate ability to sense feelings, and whether this ability may involve a special form of mind magic, different from the Kaddim’s regular skill common to all the Brothers.”

  Egey Bashi’s eyes widened. What she said was true. Mai’s self-control made it nearly impossible for anyone to guess his feelings toward Kara. At the time of their recent encounter with Nimos, Egey Bashi had been easily the only one aware of these feelings, and this knowledge had required studying Mai very closely – a task the Keeper undertook precisely because he believed it to be essential to understand the reasons for Mai’s resistance to the Kaddim.