by Anna Kashina
“I’ve studied Shayil Yaran customs in some detail,” the royal lady said. “I was curious about the fact that they, a female-dominated land, always send men to Tallan Dar as their ambassadors.”
Kyth nodded. He never questioned this before, but now that she mentioned it, it did seem unusual.
“And what did you find, my lady?” Mai asked.
Her cheeks flushed under his direct gaze. “They are well aware of our northern customs, Aghat Mai, so they actually take the effort to train men for any diplomatic missions related to Tallan Dar. In return, they normally expect us to do a similar thing and send a woman to their court for any serious negotiations. Sending a man is certainly allowed, but they would see it as unwillingness to abide by their customs. In my humble opinion, this may be one of the reasons for the failure of so many diplomatic missions to Shayil Yaran court… even though it is not my place to tell, of course.” She briefly glanced at the King, who responded with a grave stare.
Kyth thought back to the way Celana’s father had recently fallen out of favor, after reportedly conspiring with the Shayil Yaran ambassador. Was this why the royal lady felt compelled to do this research?
Mai shifted in his seat. “You suggest we find a woman to lead the negotiations, my lady?”
“Not just any woman,” Celana said firmly. “Kara.”
“Kara?”
“Yes.”
Mai frowned. “With everything she is already going through, wouldn’t it be best to leave her out of this?”
Egey Bashi leaned forward. “If I may intervene, Aghat Mai, I believe this is a brilliant idea. Kara would be perfect for the role. She is an Olivian by blood. By her looks, she could have been born in Shayil Yara. She is also a powerful woman. Everyone at Queen Rajmella’s court would easily relate to her. They respect women of power.”
“What about her mind link?” Mai asked.
“Even if the link takes hold, it should not affect her mind directly. Not for a while. Besides, we may be able to find a remedy that would at least partially counter the effects of the link. I, for one, will put every effort into this research.” He turned to Lady Celana. “Well done, my lady.”
Her cheeks were crimson now that everyone stared at her. Kyth smiled inwardly. It was hard to remember sometimes that someone as smart as Celana was also so young, barely seventeen. He never ceased to feel fascinated at such a mix of confidence and vulnerability in someone who was probably one of the smartest politicians in this room.
“They really don’t think much of men in Shayil Yara, do they?” Mai said.
Egey Bashi grinned. “Oh, they do like men, Aghat Mai. You might find yourself surprised.”
Mai’s eyes slid over him with interest, but he did not question these statements. Kyth, on the other hand, felt more and more intrigued. He couldn’t imagine what things were like at Shayil Yaran court, but Lady Celana’s deepening blush and the way the Diamonds in Mai’s suite exchanged amused looks made him wonder.
“I am not fully convinced,” the King said. “It may be dangerous to rely on Kara in a serious negotiation while she carries the Kaddim mark.”
Mai lifted his head. “I will stay by her side, Your Majesty, and will make sure I participate in all the conversations. I am not letting Kara out of my sight. Not until I personally dispose of the man who placed the bloody mark on her.”
“I hope you don’t plan to take your entire Majat force to the Olivian court, Aghat Mai. They might think you are leading an invasion.”
“Or an entertainment troupe,” Egey Bashi muttered under his breath.
Mai shrugged.
“I feel obliged to caution you, Aghat Mai,” Egey Bashi said. “The Kaddim have targeted Kara precisely because they expected this kind of a reaction from you. They are counting on you – and Prince Kythar – going after them as soon as possible to set things right. We must assume they have a plan to use the mind link to their advantage once you do.”
Mai heaved a deep sigh. “My reaction changes nothing, Magister. The original purpose of this gathering has always been to come up with a plan to destroy the Kaddim. This is exactly what we’re discussing, isn’t it?”
“So far,” the Keeper said, “we have discussed only the plans of finding their stronghold.”
“That’s because we already know what to do once we find them.” Mai’s eyes met Kyth’s from across the table. “If Kyth can protect my men from the Kaddim’s magic, I’m sure we will have no trouble defeating them.”
Kyth swallowed. It was odd to see the way Mai placed so much faith in his gift, while also acting so demeaning toward him in every one-on-one conversation. He supposed it was inevitable, given the fact that until recently they both thought Kara was in love with Kyth. The reversal of roles came too quickly on the heels of their last Kaddim battle. Would they ever be able to put their rivalry aside and truly work together in the upcoming campaign?
Egey Bashi shook his head. “You forget. There is a distinct chance that by the time you arrive there, the Kaddim warriors will acquire at least a part of Kara’s fighting skill. You mustn’t ignore this possibility, Aghat Mai.”
“I’m not, I assure you.”
“Still. I feel obliged to discuss the alternatives.” Egey Bashi glanced around the gathering.
Kyth held his breath as he watched the way Mai’s face went still like a mask.
“Alternatives, Magister?”
Egey Bashi stiffened. “I believe you know what I mean, Aghat.”
“I’m sure if I don’t, you’ll tell me.” Mai’s hand resting on the tabletop clenched into a fist. Kyth marveled at the way Egey Bashi didn’t flinch under Mai’s gaze.
“No need to get emotional, Aghat.”
Mai slowly relaxed his shoulders.
“It must have occurred to you,” Egey Bashi went on, “that the only sure way to prevent the Kaddim from capturing Kara’s gift is to ensure, definitively, that her gift is not available for the taking.”
Death. Kyth felt blood draining from his face. He kept his eyes on Mai, praying that the Majat would not entertain this possibility. Mai was the most ruthless man he knew. Did he love Kara enough not to feel the temptation?
Mai leaned forward. “I’d like to settle this once and for all, Magister. Kara’s protection is my priority. No one will threaten her life, as long as I am in command. Is this understood?” He spoke slowly, his voice hypnotizing like that of a snake charmer.
Entranced, Kyth watched Egey Bashi recede into his chair.
“Understood, Aghat Mai,” the Keeper said. “No need to get apprehensive. I was only talking about possibilities. This particular one, by the way, comes with serious complications, which takes it off the table anyway, at least for the moment. I just felt the need to make it clear, while we’re on the topic.”
Mai kept very still, watching him.
“In a normal case,” Egey Bashi went on, “having Kara killed would have solved the problem. However, from what I know about the Kaddim, this action carries a chance of an opposite effect.”
“Opposite, how?”
“The Kaddim link is a true bondage. The man who controls it shares her soul, even if Kara is not aware of it yet. If done the wrong way, her death could potentially complete the blend, releasing her power to the Kaddim all at once.”
“Done the wrong way?” Mai’s level voice had a hypnotic quality that sent a shiver down Kyth’s spine.
The Keeper nodded. “Yes. This is what I need to research before this option can be discussed any further, Aghat Mai.”
Mai’s jaw knotted. “I’m done discussing it, Magister. I must also inform you that if I catch you discussing it with anyone else, Kara included, I will take a personal issue with it.”
“Is it wise, Aghat Mai?”
“It’s the way it is, Magister.”
The two men paused, glaring at each other, the air around them charged as if crackling with an impending thunderstorm.
“How about another option, then,”
Egey Bashi said. “We could give Kara potions that would induce dreamless sleep for the majority of our journey.”
“You are proposing to drug her?”
“Effectively, yes.”
Mai briefly glanced down at the table top as he unclenched his hand. “I will not let anything be forced on her.”
Egey Bashi sighed. “This way of thinking is playing right into Kaddim’s hands, Aghat Mai. You can trust that they counted on precisely this reaction from you when they targeted Kara. You wouldn’t react the same if someone else carried the link instead, would you?”
For the first time in this conversation Kyth saw Mai look uncomfortable. His stomach clenched with worry. Was the Diamond going to give in?
Mai heaved a breath. “My reaction would be the same if it came to any of my warriors, Magister. Before considering these ‘options’ as you call them, I have to be convinced that we have no other choice. The fact that it’s Kara does make the whole thing more personal for me, but it doesn’t change a thing.”
“I hope this is indeed the case, Aghat Mai.”
A brief smile slid over Mai’s face, his amused expression harboring a hidden edge that sent a chill down Kyth’s spine. “I’m letting this slide, Magister, because I’m sure it wasn’t your intention just now to doubt my word in this public gathering.”
The Keeper receded into his chair. “Please forgive me, Aghat Mai. I spoke rashly. I know you are a man of your word. It’s just that I couldn’t help worrying, given how closely this situation has affected you. I wouldn’t want to see our enemies succeed.”
Mai kept his gaze, the smile playing on his lips more frightening than an outburst of anger. “Neither would I, Magister, believe me. That’s why we must act quickly, isn’t it?”
Kyth’s skin prickled. Knowing Mai well, he was aware of how close this conversation had come to an explosion. He was relieved to see Mai’s resolve to protect Kara at all cost, but he was also aware how Egey Bashi’s words could have seeded doubt in anyone less involved. The solutions mentioned by the Keeper would indeed make sense to an impartial observer. If Kara’s fighting skill could threaten their military operation, drugging or killing her seemed like the only way to prevent it for certain. One life was not a high price to pay for the outcome of a war.
He prayed no one in their force would ever challenge Mai’s command.
5
Practice Fight
Kara strode unseeingly through the castle hallways, only half aware of the clanging of weapons and gear of her Gem-ranked escort. Or was it her guard? She knew Mai had been considerate by charging Raishan, a close friend, with the task, but this didn’t change the big picture. She was a threat. Knowingly or unknowingly, she might be used to betray them to the enemy.
Worse, she couldn’t get rid of the pulling sensation that had enveloped her in the council chamber and for some reason refused to go away. As if she was back at their last fight with the Kaddim, where their leaders had surrounded her and tried to pull her with them through the time vortex. She could almost sense the wind on her cheek, the smells of stone and blood, the clanging of the dying battle. A hand, brushing her forearm in a near-intimate caress that felt so alien in the heat of the melee. She stiffened at the memory. The touch.
She hastily pulled up her sleeve as she walked, staring at her smooth, unblemished skin. No mark of any kind. She should feel reassured, yet all she could think of was that feeling, fingers brushing over her skin in a brief gesture that seemed too slow and deliberate to come from an opponent in a battle. Bloody hell.
Her footsteps raised an echo in the long castle hallway, the clatter of boots behind her more and more rapid, until she realized she was running, with Raishan keeping up beside her.
She came to an abrupt halt and spun around to face Raishan. The Diamond’s face remained impassive, his eyes studying her calmly. Looking at him, she forced her breathing to relax, regaining her composure. Raishan had seen her through many ups and downs. She had no need to pretend around him, or to act tougher than she felt.
“Sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to run like that.”
A brief smile touched Raishan’s face. “No need to apologize. Are you all right?”
She threw a restrained glance at the Emeralds, hovering a few steps behind. Raishan guessed her feelings correctly, signaling for the men to retreat to the end of the hallway, out of earshot.
Kara forced a smile. “Thanks. I…” She let out a sigh. “Everything’s been going so well. Or, so I thought. And now…”
He shook his head. “Nothing’s changed.”
“How can you say that?”
“We’re still facing the same enemy, and our plan of dealing a quick and final strike remains the same. This mark is no more than a jab from the Kaddim’s side, driven by desperation. They think they can weaken you, because they don’t know you.”
Her smile came out easier this time. “And you think you do?”
His eyes slid over her with warm affection. “You are one of our best warriors, and no Kaddim magic – or whatever else they try – could ever change that.”
She held his gaze, feeling a sting of tears rising into her eyes. Dear Shal Addim, what’s wrong with me? She took a deep breath. If only she could be as clear and solid about everything as Raishan.
“They’re trying to force Mai’s hand,” she said quietly. “They know if they target me, he will react as fast as he possibly can to stop them. They’re trying to make me their bloody tool against him.” She clenched her fists, the pain of fingernails digging into her skin bringing only marginal comfort.
Raishan placed a hand on her arm. “You should know as well as I do that Aghat Mai would never do anything foolish. He is very level-headed – and very resourceful. Many enemies have made a mistake of underestimating him before. The Kaddim are making it too.”
Kara paused to control a brief twitch in her lips. “I’m his weak spot. The Kaddim know it. They took many risks to target me, and no one else.”
“You’re also his strength. I’m sure you know it as well as the rest of us do.”
She looked at him, against reason captivated by these simple words. She never expected to hear something like this from Raishan. She never even realized anyone could possibly think of her this way. And yet, it was true. She knew Mai’s closeness made her stronger, and she had no doubt he felt the same. No matter what the Kaddim had planned, her place was next to Mai, and she would fight by his side as long as she lived.
“Surely,” Raishan said, “you must have noticed the joy we all felt seeing you together. The two of you are meant for each other. I believe nearly everyone in the Guild shares this feeling. When we return to the Majat Fortress you will be greeted like a queen.”
She looked away. Being expelled from the Guild, having to pretend in the last weeks that she had nothing to do with the Majat, did tend to make her feel like an outsider. Yet, Raishan’s words held the truth. She was raised and trained at the Majat Fortress to become one of their best. Both she and Mai were well loved, and many people would indeed be glad to see them together. Besides, the Majat Guildmaster did have the status and authority of a king, both in the Guild and in the surrounding lands. Marrying Mai would make her equal to a queen. It was just that no other Guildmaster’s wife, to her knowledge, had ever evoked such an approval among the Majat. In fact, records of all the other Guildmasters’ marriages had been hidden away so deep in the archives that up until recently she hadn’t even realized his post allowed it at all.
Of course, no other Guildmaster’s wife had ever been trained and ranked as a Diamond and then freed of all obligations to the Guild. Her situation was unprecedented in so many ways that even the chronicles would have trouble dealing with the information. Not that she cared. Up until now, her and Mai’s happiness together had been her only consideration. And now, after Raishan’s words, she realized anew how good her life could be if the dark shadow of the Kaddim magic wasn’t looming over her.
“Mai has this effect on people, doesn’t he?” she said quietly. “Whatever he does, people just… approve.”
Raishan smiled. “An essential quality for a great leader, don’t you think?”
She raised her face to him. “What about Aghat Seldon?”
“What about him?”
“I couldn’t help noticing a bit of tension when he arrived this morning.”
Raishan shrugged. “Despite any regrets Seldon might harbor about losing his chances for the Guildmaster’s post, he does realize he’s no match for Aghat Mai. He would never stand in the way of the Guild’s decisions.”
“Why is he here then?”
Raishan frowned. “Not because of the orders he received from Aghat Mai, for sure. Seldon arrived unexpectedly, with a somewhat unsatisfactory explanation. He claims he was sent by the Guild’s seniors, but he wouldn’t clearly say why.”
The lie Ellah detected. Kara’s heart quivered. “Seldon may prove to be a problem.”
Raishan smiled. “We both know Aghat Mai can handle it.”
“I hope so.” She looked away. Without the support of the senior Majat, Mai would never have been able to achieve his command. Seldon was, technically, one of them. Even if to the best of her knowledge he hadn’t expressed any open hostility, she simply couldn’t get past the fact that Seldon represented the group of people who had the power to remove Mai from his post – or worse.
Was an opposition to Mai brewing in the heart of the Majat Guild? Or, did Seldon come here with an agenda of his own?
Raishan reached forward and briefly touched her shoulder. “You really shouldn’t worry so much. Our Guild is in good hands. Everyone knows it, regardless of the personal ambitions they may harbor. Seldon’s heart is in the right place. He would never do anything to jeopardize Aghat Mai’s command in a war.”
It must be true, if the Guild has been setting their sights on Seldon as a potential leader, at least at some point. Yet, Kara also knew that Mai’s predecessor, while having the Majat’s best interests at heart, had almost let the Guild fall into the Kaddim’s hands.