"What are the names?" I asked.
"Narvin and Willa. Said they came from villages farther south before they went into the army."
"What did they say to do about it—if they show up?"
"Report it. Says they're hoping to get troops out to the villages just in case, but that could take time. Said there's a reward, too."
"What if they show up with murder on their minds before then?" I huffed. It was the proper response to make, and had probably been made by most of Gaull's residents already. I hesitated to ask how much the reward was. Now wasn't the time to switch priorities—not if I wanted to stay alive.
"They say to give them whatever they want, just to get them gone. They can fry us, you know." Stave shook his head again. "If that happens, we have to make a report as soon as we can."
"And hope they don't kill us first," I snorted.
"Here lately, the army's more dangerous to us than the enemy," Stave grimaced. "I know you were in the army," he held up a hand when I started to speak. "But it ain't what it once was."
"You're right," I shifted in my chair. "It sure as hell ain't what it used to be." I have two names for spies, I sent while Stave considered what to say next.
Good. Tell me.
Narvin and Willa, I replied. Used to be with Merrin's bunch.
All the better. Payment will be sent.
"Well, I'd better go on," Stave said. "Garden needs the weeds pulled."
"At least you're able to pull 'em," I tapped my nearly-useless left leg. "I gotta pay somebody to do for me."
"I don't know which of us is the worst off, then," Stave joked.
I watched as he stepped off my porch and shambled toward his home a quarter mile away. His wife died of fever three years earlier; until then, she'd done the gardening. It was woman's work, like cooking and cleaning.
Like shielding should have been.
All. Her. Fault.
Ny-nes
Kyri
Those are the warrior-priests, I told Garkus when he asked. Their long, dark robes swayed as six of them made their way through our narrow alley, the last in line banging a metal rod against the gathering bell.
The bell commanded all residents to come from their shabby homes and stand outside, waiting for them to pass. Looking for suitable bodies to become Kaakos' servants, I added.
Garkus dipped his chin and lowered his eyes—not out of respect, but because he didn't wish to start a fight here among the poorest of Kaakos' subjects. Neither of us wanted to draw Kaakos' attention that way, when we weren't prepared or in the proper place.
The first warrior-priest stopped in front of Garkus, just as I knew he would. We both dipped our heads, as was required.
"These two," the warrior-priest growled at the one behind him.
Chains with tags were placed around our left wrists, marking us as Kaakos' property. Stay calm, I told Garkus, whose breaths had become shallow and quick.
"You will report to the palace in three days," the warrior-priest snapped. "Do not attempt to remove the chains, or you will die. Sell your belongings; the High Lord will provide for you when you report for duty."
Garkus and I waited until they were past us; the bell resumed its clanking, the warrior-priests' robes swayed in unison, their steps became measured and even as they continued their mission.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Garkus hissed as those who lived nearby disappeared into their hovels, like mice scuttling through the walls. This time, the cat had passed them by and they were grateful.
Ny-nes
Kaakos
"My Lord, Aspe is here to see you." The servant named one of the warrior-priests searching for new servants for my palace.
"Send him in." Reports were expected, if the priests saw or heard anything unusual in their search for suitable slaves.
Aspe went to his knees three steps inside the door to my audience room. "Rise," I waved a hand.
"My Lord." His head remained bowed as he approached.
"What do you have?" I toyed with a loose thread on the arm cushion of my ornate chair.
"I have received word that a healer has been among the people."
"Any show of the enemy's power?"
"It is doubtful. I think it is the belief of desperate people—that some charlatan has helped them in some way. I can find no residence for him, and they say he only appears at irregular times."
"I love how rumors start," I growled. "Did you find anyone who has been healed by this—man?"
"No, my Lord. They all say they know of someone, or someone's neighbor or such, but none have seen him directly."
"Then it's another tale and nothing more."
"What shall we do if the rumors persist?"
"Unless you can bring me the man in question, or one who has actually been healed, then pay it no mind."
"It will be as you say, my Lord."
Sherra
"I don't have any memories of my dreamwalker acting lately," I answered Hunter's question at dinner. The day had become a long one, with reports already coming in of sightings.
Kerok and I figured those were mostly from ones who wanted to collect the reward money, but Armon sent troops out anyway, to ask questions.
Nothing substantial came of it, and on several occasions, a warning was given regarding the crime of false reporting.
If I were Narvin or Willa, I'd go back to my hiding place and only venture out again when I ran out of supplies.
"I know I shouldn't say this, but I feel comforted by that," Hunter responded. He'd worry if my dreamwalker had been active, as that, to him, spelled trouble.
Kerok listened while he ate and nodded when I said I didn't recall my dreamwalker doing anything recently.
"I hope Adahi is looking for Narvin and Willa," Barth interjected. "It would relieve me greatly if he found them and delivered their deaths."
"While that would be ideal, I can't imagine it would happen as soon as we'd like," Hunter agreed.
"Unless they're unseeables," I pointed out, "then someone should be able to track them, somehow."
"Barth?" Kerok finally spoke.
"I divined the things they dropped at the shield line," Barth replied. "I didn't get anything from them, likely because they hadn't held them long enough."
"It is easier to tell things from objects they've handled for a long time," I said, recalling Pottles' shell. The bloodied cloth I'd handled belonged to the victims, and I'd only seen Narvin and Willa's images, before their victims died.
"Then we're at a standstill, divination-wise," Hunter grumped. I watched as a frown tugged at his mouth—the unnecessary deaths of two drudges angered him greatly. They'd had no power to fight back, and would have given Narvin and Willa anything they asked for, just to keep from being harmed.
Instead, the drudges were attacked with knives first, and then their things were stolen after they died. Caral and Darissa were both upset—the victims were their friends.
"We have a problem," Adahi appeared near Kerok's elbow; Kerok's battle reflexes brought his hands up to form a fireball at the sudden interruption. He dropped his hands the moment he realized it was Adahi.
Kerok was wound tighter than the rest of us expected, due to Az-ca's current dilemmas.
"What problem?" Kerok growled before offering an empty chair at the table to Adahi.
"I was tracking Narvin and Willa," Adahi said. "To take them down tonight as they slept. I had a reliable divination line on them, until it disappeared."
"How did that happen?" Barth asked.
"I assume that they are now protected by Kaakos' power, and that, my friend, is as unseeable as you can get."
"I think you should tell me how all this is possible," Kerok rumbled. This angered him greatly.
"Kaakos won't expend that power lightly," Adahi took the offered chair. "It requires a constant feed to maintain that shield."
"Does this mean that power is being pulled away from Kaakos while he sleeps, too?" Hunter asked.
"Yes. Kaakos is very strong, however, so this will only weaken him a little."
"How did he escape Ny-nes' death sentence so successfully, with so much power?" I pointed my question at Adahi. "How did he know as a child to hide it so well?"
"He is crafty. Sly. A genius at evil," Adahi shrugged. "As if he were born knowing it."
I felt Adahi's words were guarded and chosen carefully, so as not to give too much away. What could he be hiding, though? I shoved that worry to the back of my mind. Kyri had hidden things too—as had Pottles.
They were still hiding things, I think. Perhaps, I considered, Kyri went to Ny-nes to avoid answering questions.
I studied Adahi's face as he and Kerok talked about this latest threat. His eyes were little more than slits, but for him, that was normal. And, as he was a dreamwalking spirit, I imagined he didn't have to show any emotion unless he chose to do so.
"What are you thinking, child?" Adahi turned toward me, then.
"I was just thinking that when I was younger, I never imagined I'd be sitting at a table, having dinner and conversation with a ghost," I improvised.
Adahi ducked his head. I realized after a moment that he was laughing.
Kerok reached out to grip my hand in his, while a smile curved his mouth. It lightened the mood around the table, and I was grateful for the respite from grim circumstances.
Hunter
"So. We're back to hunting Narvin and Willa the old way," Barth set his wineglass down with a thump.
He and I had retired to my study after dinner, while Sherra and Thorn went to bed and Adahi disappeared.
"Where do you think they were all this time—before they decided to murder for a shower and a loaf of bread?" I asked.
"Could have been any one of the places Merrin hid while they were together," Barth sighed. "Or somewhere else. Who knows? We had no idea they were still alive, or we'd have found them before this."
"How the hell did they get away?"
"A question you'll have to ask them, no doubt," Barth's words were dry as dust. "The convoy they traveled with was hit too hard for anyone to survive, unless they were able to step away."
"Ruarke got away. Adahi told us that. Merrin also escaped, as did a few others. It makes sense, I suppose."
"We assumed they'd all follow Merrin," Barth's mouth twisted into a frown. "That was the logical thing."
"Even Merrin assumed them dead," I offered.
"True. And yet here we are, faced with the folly of our assumptions." Barth poured more wine for himself. "If they are hidden and controlled by Kaakos, and now serve him, willingly or not, that spells terrible trouble for us, my friend." He lifted his glass in a silent toast before drinking.
Ny-nes
Kaakos
"I don't know Adahi," Merrin complained.
"You call him the Phantom, you dolt," I shouted. The fear that spread across Merrin's face almost made me laugh. He'd been terrified of Adahi.
Understandably so. Not many could stand against Adahi. Too bad he'd come after the strongest of those who could. I still couldn't fathom how his dreamwalker survived, long after his corporeal body had perished.
He'd had help; I had no doubt about that, and little doubt as to who'd provided that help. After all, I had Adahi's physical remains in my sanctuary. Too bad his phantom couldn't see the steady stream of worshippers who came to kiss the glass enclosure surrounding his rotting flesh.
"I see you won't be much help in this; I'd hoped for more information so I might find him again. I'm making plans, you see, to destroy what little he has left."
"Hmmph. Destroy that bitch, too. I saw her in my cell. She's not dead, like I thought."
"No woman has ever been a match for me," I reassured my new minion. "She and the new King will be targeted soon enough. Your friends, Narvin and Willa, will accomplish this for me."
Kerok
"Did you ever finish Thorn's Book?" Sherra yawned. She sat up in bed, watching me pace across the rug at the foot of our bedframe.
"Why are you asking me about that?" I stopped to frown at her.
"You told me once it was sort of boring, except for the instructional parts. I think you could use some boredom right about now."
"I'm not sure boredom can cure this worry," I sniped at her. "They could be killing right now, and we won't hear about it until afterward." It made me wish that Adahi had saved his troubling news for later—at least I could have slept some before it came.
"I know." She buried her face in her hands, while dark curls fell about her shoulders. Her hair was growing longer, and it looked good on her. It made me wish that our troubles were far away so we might enjoy our time together, instead of constantly fighting to keep Az-ca alive.
"My love," I moved to her side of the bed quickly, and sat beside her. Pulling her into my arms, I kissed her temple while rocking her body against mine.
"When will it stop?" She dropped hands away from her face to lock eyes with mine.
"I don't know," I said, my reply bitter on my tongue. Hunter was right—sometimes I was too honest for my own good. "Scoot over and I'll lie beside you while I hold you," I whispered against her hair.
Once I was beside her in bed, her arms stole around me. We held one another until we fell asleep.
Doret
"They were chained today," I informed Cole. "They're to report in three days."
"I hope she knows how dangerous this is," Cole whispered. I'd poured wine for both of us in my training camp study. He'd brought the news of Narvin and Willa; I'd given him what I'd received from Kyri.
Neither bit of news was good.
"Do you think Kyri understood—truly—how long her long game might turn out to be?" Cole asked.
"Or how abrupt the ending is likely to be?" I snorted.
"How terrifying it is, to watch someone you love walk into danger," Cole held up his glass in a toast.
"And that's for damn sure," I replied before drinking.
Chapter 5
Arresh
Sherra fell asleep late, leaving me little time to work. I'd gotten a feel for Narvin and Willa; a minute amount of their blood had mingled with that of their victims—enough that I could set the shields around the villages to prevent those two from entering. I merely had to work quickly to get it done. It also required pounding those shields into the ground, and that took a great deal of energy to accomplish.
Doing it long distance was much faster; I bent my power in the direction needed, to recalibrate against the missing rogues.
As for Kaakos getting them past a shield; I knew his signature well enough to block him, too, unless he brought a great deal of power to bear against the shield.
Would he be angered enough by such a rejection to expend that power? I had no answer to that question.
It made me wonder, too, whether he'd protected any of his spies the same way.
Not likely, I decided. It would be too much to protect someone he saw as expendable. Adahi said that the shield around Narvin and Willa would be a continuous drain on Kaakos.
Too bad we couldn't turn that slow drain into a rushing river, to empty him of power long enough to defeat him.
It was something to consider, however, if a way could be found. After all, Garkus and Kyri were close enough to the palace and together, which also bore thinking about.
Sherra
"I'm considering a marching draught," I admitted at breakfast. I felt weary, as if we'd done battle the whole day before.
"Short night," Kerok rumbled and stuffed scrambled eggs in his mouth. I doubted he'd ever move past the military necessity of eating as quickly and efficiently as possible. Moments later, Hunter appeared with two small, white envelopes.
"This is for you," he handed a small envelope to me and another to Kerok. "Thorn sent mindspeak to me, asking for marching draughts," he added.
With a sigh, I opened my envelope and added the marching draught to my tea, then stirred and drank. Today, extra tea woul
dn't work if I wanted to stay awake during the Council meeting. Kerok wasn't looking forward to it either, but we couldn't cancel; we had to be there to ensure it ran smoothly and the information was disseminated properly.
The word spy wriggled its way into my mind. Would there be a spy in the Council meeting? Would Kaakos be a secret observer, through him?
I shuddered.
"What's wrong?" Kerok stopped stirring marching draught into his tea.
"Just—worried about Kaakos' spies," I mumbled.
"I know. I worry about that too."
I'd never been inside the Council chamber, and only now realized how massive it was. How many are here? I sent mindspeak to Hunter. He'd know better than anyone.
Three hundred eighteen, he replied. Kerok led us toward the dais, where chairs and a long table waited for the three of us; the King, the Crown Prince and the Queen.
Barth took a seat not far from the door, in a group of chairs reserved for the King's Diviner, the Commander of the Army and a few others.
Armon, Caral and Cole were already in their seats, waiting for the meeting to begin. The low rumble of hushed voices quieted, once the door guards thumped their staffs on the tiled floor and announced the entrance of the King.
"Rise for the King and the Crown Prince of Az-ca," someone shouted. Three hundred eighteen Council members rose as Kerok made his way to the King's chair, at the center of the long table.
No acknowledgment of the Queen? Caral's mindspeak reached me.
It doesn't matter, I returned.
It does to me. They wouldn't be here except for the Queen.
We'll discuss that later, I warned. We had other, more important things to consider at today's meeting.
Once Kerok, Hunter and I were seated, the same guards tapped their staffs to tell the crowd to sit.
"You've all received word regarding the rogue warrior and his escort by now," Hunter began. "They murdered two innocent drudges at Secondary Camp and stole food and supplies from their cabin. We are currently taking steps to protect the villages from the same fate."
Black Rose Queen: Black Rose Sorceress, Book 3 Page 6