by Anna Kashina
She held still for a moment, then slowly inclined her head. “You show no fear when you speak to me. At least, my spiders don’t sense any.”
“I have nothing to fear from you, Lady Ayalla,” Mai said. “If you choose to kill me, I can hardly do anything about it. Being afraid won’t help, would it?”
“Not many would say this when facing certain death.”
“Probably not. But I don’t believe I’m facing certain death either. Am I?”
“If you make a wrong move.”
He smiled. “In this case I just have to make sure I don’t.”
She folded her arms over her chest, the movement disturbing the mists around her to briefly bare her shoulders. “So, why do you think I should help you, Majat?”
“Because I hope our goals are aligned, even if our ways may be different. This is what alliances are all about.”
“Last time I heard, the Majat Guild didn’t form alliances at all.”
“Not the ones that are ever recorded in written history, no.”
“What makes you think our goals are aligned?” Ayalla asked.
“Don’t you want to see the Kaddim destroyed?”
Ayalla spread her hands. “The Kaddim cannot reach me here. As for whatever goes on outside my realm, it’s none of my concern.”
Mai shifted in his seat and froze as the spiders raised their legs threateningly.
“With respect, Lady Ayalla, I don’t need the powers of a truthseer to tell that you are not being entirely honest right now.”
Her eyes widened. “No one ever said something like this to me.”
“I’m not surprised.” Mai glanced at the spiders again.
She slowly relaxed her shoulders. “Why do you think so, Majat?”
He leaned back, a half-smile playing on his lips. “My name is Mai.”
“Mai.” To Ellah’s amazement, the Forest Woman seemed to recede, as if she was considering Mai a worthy opponent.
“You are a giver of life,” Mai said. “The Kaddim are threatening all life in existence. They serve the Cursed Destroyer. They stand for everything you oppose. Even if they cannot reach you in your Forest, I doubt you would wish to see them succeed.”
She looked at him silently, as if making a decision.
“I don’t think we are that different,” Mai went on. “My training is to kill, but to achieve my Majat rank I have to be much more than a killer. By killing a few, we maintain peace in the entire realm. Without the Majat, people would die by thousands in senseless wars that never have a chance to erupt when our Guild is in control. As a result, we bring balance to the world.”
Ayalla slowly let out a sigh. “That’s one way to put it.”
Mai’s smile widened. “I can also put it in another way, my lady. You send your spiders to kill on command. I assume they are going to kill me if this conversation doesn’t go your way – and my death in this case would be far worse than that from a blade. This makes the spiders your weapons, even if you use your thoughts, rather than your hands, to wield them. How does this make us any different from each other?”
Ayalla held a pause for a while longer, then sat down opposite him onto a thick grass mound that, Ellah could swear, wasn’t there just moments ago. The mist of Ayalla’s dress twirled around her to rearrange itself, covering her curves evenly, like real cloth.
“You’ve surprised me.” Ayalla held a pause. “Mai.” She pronounced his name slowly, as if tasting it. “I can understand now what people see in you. And yes, in a way, you are correct. We are similar, and we do have the same goal. I will help you.” She briefly inclined her head, and the spiders around Mai receded, disappearing into the shadows.
Mai kept his smile, but Ellah saw a tense cord relax in his neck and felt a pang of sympathy again. In Mai’s place she would have been an emotional wreck by now. Yet, he looked undisturbed as he shifted position to settle in more comfortably.
“Thank you, Lady Ayalla,” Mai said. “We all greatly hoped you would say this.”
Ayalla’s mouth curved into a brief smile. “Saying is one thing. Doing is quite another. What kind of help did you expect from me?”
“Originally,” Mai said, “we hoped you can lend us your spiders. But just yesterday, I learned more. According to Magister Egey Bashi, to destroy the Kaddim Brotherhood once and for all, you have to be there in person to defeat the Kaddim Reincarnate.”
Ayalla’s gaze wavered. “Once and for all. Is this what you plan?”
“It’s the only permanent solution as I see it right now, yes.”
“A very ambitious one.”
Mai smiled. “Is it?”
She hesitated, then shook her head. “I can lend you the spiders, perhaps. They can help you win your battle. But the rest of what you’re asking is impossible.”
“Why?”
“I can never leave the forest. My power depends on the trees. The Kaddim are in a desert, where trees cannot grow. Their choice of location was not incidental. Without my trees, I am no match for their Reincarnate.”
Mai held still for a moment. “Is there another way?”
“Did your Magister also tell you that my power comes from the elements?”
“Yes, in a way.”
She nodded. “Elemental magic is ancient, and rare, after your Church went on their frenzy to eliminate all magic users. But you have someone in your midst whose elemental magic is nearly as strong as mine.”
Elemental magic. Ellah’s mouth fell open. “You can’t mean… Kyth?”
“Yes, Kyth.”
Ellah gaped, meeting Mai’s awe-struck look. Kyth. Nearly as powerful as Ayalla. She was having serious trouble absorbing the information.
Ayalla glanced at Mai. “I know you and he are engaged in foolish rivalry, which should be long forgotten by now. I also know that his command of his gift is not fully developed yet.”
“You know a great deal, it seems,” Mai said.
“My spiders at the King’s court, the ones fair Alder carries on his shoulder, serve as my eyes and ears. I am aware of all your plans. Including the one to seek help from the Olivian Queen.”
Mai raised his face hopefully. “Can your knowledge of the Kaddim’s whereabouts spare us this trip?”
“I have no knowledge of the Kaddim’s whereabouts.” She frowned. “Have you been listening? My powers feed off earth and water. The desert the Kaddim are hiding in feeds on fire. Fire is my enemy. It clouds my mind.”
Mai’s gaze became distant. “Then we will go through with the original plan.”
“Yes, you must. I will open a path for you to reach Shayil Yara quickly.”
“And Kyth?”
“I will keep him with me and train him in the use of his magic by the time you are done. I will also keep Alder and train him to command the spiders. When they are ready, I will open a path for them to meet with you. Your Magister, the one who knows so much, is receptive to my magic. If you bring him with you, I can use him to relay a message so that you can all meet in the right place.”
Mai heaved a slow sigh. “Thank you, Lady Ayalla. This is more than I hoped for.”
She shook her head. “Perhaps, but you mustn’t think, even for a moment, that this would be enough. To enable Kyth to defeat their Reincarnate you have to bring him all the way into the heart of their fortress. Which means, you will still have to deal with all the Kaddim’s fighters, who, as it seems, have recently gained access to your friend’s Diamond skill. There is no telling how powerful they will become by the time you get there.
“Which brings me to your original question. Kara.”
Mai lifted his head so fast that his shape blurred, the mix of hope and pain in his gaze making Ellah shiver.
“You love her,” Ayalla said quietly.
“Yes, I do.”
“Then you must hope that your love carries her through. It’s the only thing that can. She has been badly damaged by the Kaddim.”
Mai’s gaze wavered.
“I
know you hate them, if only for that,” Ayalla said. “You must not let this personal hatred drive your actions.”
“I won’t,” Mai said. “I know I can’t possibly afford to.”
Her gaze softened. “I have another thing I can do for you then. I will put a spell on Kara that will disable her Kaddim link. For now.”
Again, Ellah’s heart quivered at the hope that stirred in Mai’s gaze.
“She will become herself again,” Ayalla went on, “and the Kaddim won’t be able to tap into her skill while my spell is in place. But once you get close to their stronghold, once she finds herself in proximity to the man who controls her link, my spell will be broken and the link will become active again.”
Mai smiled. “I see a simple solution for this. We can leave Kara behind. This way, she would never have to get close to him at all.”
“If only it were so easy. The man who controls the link carries a part of her soul – just as she carries a part of his. She must be near him when he dies, or she will never get her soul back. She must be touching him, sharing his agony when he heaves his last breath. If she doesn’t, she will die too.”
For a brief moment, Mai went very still. Then he nodded.
“I guess,” he said, “this lays out our plan of action, doesn’t it?”
“You must be careful,” Ayalla said. “I know now that you are very strong, but the challenges you are facing are formidable. Your love is a burden when you also have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Don’t let it destroy you.”
Mai lifted his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”
“Once you reach the Kaddim, Kara will turn against you. When this happens, what are you going to do?”
Mai’s jaw tightened. “Is this a certainty?”
Ayalla sighed. “Yes.”
“But–”
“I know what you are thinking. She is a fighter and she has resisted them well so far. But the Kaddim are stronger than anything you faced before. You must be prepared.”
“I am. Or so I believe.”
“Your beliefs have nothing to do with it. Not in this case. And, you didn’t answer my question. What will you do once she falls under the Kaddim’s control?”
Mai shook his head. “This is not a question I can answer, Lady Ayalla. I hold a responsibility to my men. I will never let them down, no matter what. But once that is fulfilled, the rest is up to me, isn’t it?”
She hesitated. “I hope you can handle what’s coming. In the very least, my spell will allow you and Kara a break for the time being. And, it would enable her to fully participate in your negotiations at the Olivian court. Trust me, you would need a strong woman down there to champion your cause.”
“Yes, so I heard.”
Ayalla laughed. “I am beginning to like you, Mai. I never expected I would. In fact, if your heart was not given already, I could have considered you for a consort – which is not what I would ever expect from a man of your occupation.”
Mai stiffened. “I assume I should thank you, Lady Ayalla.” He glanced around and Ellah saw his cheeks light up with a faint touch of color.
Ayalla reached forward and patted his arm. “My consorts normally don’t have a lot of time to assume anything, not when they are in my presence. I keep them otherwise occupied. But since you are not suitable for the role anyway, it doesn’t really matter, does it?” She rose to her feet in a fluid move that briefly parted the mist around her. Ellah felt both awed and embarrassed at once. She had never seen women this beautiful all the way down, or as unabashed about showing their nakedness. Perhaps Ayalla did all this on purpose?
She saw Mai gaping too as Ayalla laughed and beckoned. “Come. I will take you to your loved one.”
20
The Spell
When Kara opened her eyes, she could not see anything at all. It took a moment to focus her eyes on the swirls of white mist in front of her eyes, cold and moist, as if she was being enfolded by a cloud.
She tried to move, finding no restraints this time, nothing that would hold her in place at all. By the feel of it, she was lying down on a thick carpet of grass, the mist around her so thick that she couldn’t even see the ground. Or was there something wrong with her vision? Panicked, she brought her hand up to her eyes, relieved to see her fingers moving in front of her face. The rest of the hand wasn’t visible at all. This mist must be magical, akin to the one she saw Lady Ayalla wearing as a dress just a short while ago.
Her head was still throbbing, the memory of the Kaddim vision she saw when Ayalla opened her link clinging to her mind with nauseating clarity. The inside of the Kaddim fortress, as real as if she was standing there in person. A foreign, male voice coming out of her own throat. Nimos. Egey Bashi had guessed right, back at the King’s council. Nimos had to be the one controlling her link.
The realization made her skin tingle.
The mist started to dissipate as she rose to her feet, finally affording her a view of her surroundings. The glade was smaller than the one before, covered with soft, silky grass. The brook running at the side opened into a wider pond, a smooth bed of rock along the bottom making it look like a very large bath. The water breathed warmth, beckoning. She felt so tempted to dive in.
Just when she was beginning to seriously contemplate the possibility, she heard the approaching sounds. Rustling and voices, the trees parting at the far end of the glade to let in two people.
Mai. Kara’s heart leapt as he rushed toward her, sweeping her into an embrace. She clung to him, instantly drunk with his scent and with the reassurance of his solid warmth. She hadn’t known until now if she was ever going to see him again, a feeling that was becoming too frequent of late and far too unsettling to deal with.
After a while he set her down, holding her close as he turned to Ayalla. Kara felt curious at the expression of motherly indulgence on the Forest Woman’s face. She never expected Mai and Ayalla could possibly get along – yet they did, if appearances were any indication.
“I liked your man,” Ayalla said in response to her questioning gaze. “Mai. He surprised me. You are very lucky to have his love.”
“I know.” Kara felt puzzled. Should she be worried about Ayalla liking Mai? Should she feel glad? At least for the moment this seemed like a better option, so she decided to stay with it, dismissing all else.
“How is your headache?” Ayalla asked.
“About the same, thanks.” Kara’s lips twitched. She was used to pain, inevitable for someone with her training, but the way this pain never let go made her feel exhausted. She supposed this was partially responsible for how weak and shaky she felt.
“And the mind link?”
“Still there, I believe.”
“I’m about to block it.”
“Block it?”
“Hold still.” Ayalla grasped Kara’s arm and pulled up her sleeve to expose her forearm. Kara gasped.
In all the excitement of the past days, she never had a chance to examine her arm closely. Last time she looked, the mark had been a light shadow, like a healing bruise. This time the spot seemed much darker. Worse, it was shaping into the unmistakable resemblance of the Kaddim brand mark – a downturned triangle with elongated corners, like a crude depiction of a goat head.
Ayalla frowned. “It’s deepening. I’m amazed you haven’t turned yet.”
Turned? Kara bit her lip, thinking it best not to ask.
Ayalla held out her hand. A sharp object resting over the tip of her forefinger drew Kara’s gaze. It looked like a very thick thorn, about half an inch long with a sharp tip and a broad oval base the size of a thumbnail. Nested over Ayalla finger, it looked like the tip of a huge scorpion’s stinger poised to strike.
“This will hurt,” Ayalla said. “A lot. You must do your best to keep still.”
Kara nodded.
In a deft movement, the Forest Woman drew the thorn all the way into the dark spot on Kara’s forearm.
The pain was exquisite, instantl
y erupting from the entry point, shooting through her body in sharp spikes. She was grateful for the warning that enabled her to brace herself and control her reaction. Still, it took all she had to remain motionless, to bite back a cry. She felt Mai’s hand tighten on her other arm, to support or restrain her, she wasn’t sure. Through their touch he was bound to know how much it hurt, and she was grateful that he didn’t try to say anything at all.
She felt dazed as she rode through it, the sharp stabs penetrating her head, shocking away the dull headache she had gotten used to lately. In an odd way, the sensation felt like cleansing, the agony washing through to leave nothing behind.
She wasn’t sure how long it lasted, but when the pain finally receded she felt light, as if filled with air. She moved her limbs experimentally, finding herself in full control of her movements, her head swimming with the liberating absence of any pulling sensations or lingering presence at the back of her mind. She hadn’t felt this good in a very long while.
“Now,” Ayalla said. “Take off your clothes and get into the water.”
Kara obeyed without hesitation. If she had felt the water in the pond beckon her earlier, by now the pull seemed nearly irresistible. She moaned as she submerged into its warmth, caressing like a lover’s arms. The water tingled, making her feel lightheaded, drunk.
Ayalla looked at her with satisfaction, then turned to Mai.
“She will need time to adjust,” she said. “Stay with her. Help her through the transformation. Take as long as you need. You will not be disturbed, not until dark. When you are ready to leave, tell the trees and they will lead you to your camp.”
Tell the trees. In Kara’s new state of mind, the instruction seemed natural, as if there was nothing to it. She briefly wondered if Ayalla’s spell had also infused her with the forest magic, if the transformation Ayalla was talking about involved changing Kara into a forest being the trees listened to. She was vaguely aware that she should feel frightened by the thought, but, strangely, it didn’t bother her at all.