"I think Caral and Misten would like a ceremony," I said casually as Kerok took a seat on the opposite side of our small table.
"You're in the middle of writing up proposed laws—I suggest you get on that," he said while reaching for his mug of beer. I wasn't fond of beer, so I'd asked for wine with my meal.
"I will," I said. "I think I'll take off my shoes."
"Why?" He frowned at my sudden change of subject.
"So I can tickle your legs with my toes," I sighed and concentrated on doing just that.
"You know where that may lead," he growled and drank more beer.
"Finish your beer, first," I said.
"And if I don't want to?"
"You're the King."
"Yes, I am."
We didn't eat for a while after that.
Anari
We're just now getting to bed, I told Laren. Two students got into a fight at dinner, so all of us had to clean the kitchen and the dining hall.
That happens here, too, he admitted. Fights are frowned on. Did the ones who fought get extra punishment?
They did, but that didn't help the rest of us, I said. We were washing dishes and scrubbing the floor on our knees.
We never had to worry about that when we were in training at the palace, he pointed out.
We got along, I said. Here, there are so many who didn't know each other before, and things just happen. We have some bullies, too. Nobody likes them because of that, and it makes them act worse.
At least the youngest ones are still in Kyri's City. They weren't sent back.
Sometimes, I think they're the lucky ones.
It was cooler there, Laren said. And we got used to it being cooler under the domes of the King's City. Here, it's just hot.
Here, too. We have to shower every day, because we're covered in sweat and dust when training's over. The games they let us play to practice our shielding are the best parts of it.
I wish we could do that. Right now, they're so serious all the time. Like, if you don't do this, you'll die, or if you don't learn that, you'll die.
That's when I decided to send mindspeak to Sherra the following morning, rather than putting it off. Some things needed to change—for Laren and so many others.
I wish I were there—we could sit together, you, Kyal and I, and read together at bedtime.
I miss that too. Look, the lights just went out. I have to go.
All right.
Sherra
Sherra? It's Anari. The mindspeak came at breakfast.
Ani? I was worried immediately.
I uh, it sounds silly, now.
No, what is it? I asked.
Laren, Kyal and I—we really miss each other. I was hoping that I could see them now and then. Laren told me that the boys don't get to play games like we do. Can you do something about that? He says their instructors just tell them if they don't learn their lessons, they'll die.
That sounds depressing, I soothed, because the longer she'd spoken, the more upset she sounded. Look, why don't you let me talk to the King, and maybe we can work something out, all right?
Will you let me know? This is so—upsetting.
I know. Look, I'll let you know what he says. I'll talk to Doret and Colonel Armon, too. Maybe they'll have suggestions.
Thank you. I'm just so worried.
I know. Those are your friends. Of course you're worried. I'll start working on this right away.
I have to go—we're going to breakfast, now.
Enjoy your meal. I leaned back in my chair with a sigh.
"Something wrong?" Kerok walked into our sitting room, where the breakfast table was laid. He'd just come out of the shower, his hair still damp and ruffled.
"Anari misses her friends," I said. "And the boys aren't allowed to learn by playing games. Their instructors are always telling them they'll die if they don't learn something. Now, I don't know about you, but telling an eight-year-old that he's going to die doesn't sound like the proper way to teach anything."
"Damn." Kerok pinched the bridge of his nose after sitting across from me. "That's the old school method of instruction, and it works for the most part with the older ones going for training at twenty. You're right—this isn't the way to teach the younger ones. We need different instructors for them."
"The girls are being trained using Pottles' methods, so they're doing better," I said. "Still, it doesn't address the issue of Anari, Laren and Kyal. They were being trained together, and it worked for them. None of the others are trained to Anari's level, so she's having to go backward so the others can catch up."
"I would imagine it's the same for Laren and Kyal," Kerok frowned. "What do you think we can do about it, though?"
"Well, I don't know—wait. Cole's people train the boys and girls together," I said. "They don't get many students, and don't have any at the moment. Would you be opposed if I sent those three to him? They could probably pick up where they left off with their instructors, instead of having to wait a long time for the others to catch up."
Kerok frowned again, which wasn't a good sign. "I dislike the idea of them going outside Az-ca for training," he began.
"But," I said.
"I know. These are special circumstances, and those three had distinctive talents from the beginning. It's a shame to hold them back, now. If you'll oversee the training they get, then I'll allow it."
"I'll be happy to." I couldn't help smiling at Kerok.
"I haven't forgotten that you're in charge of Cole's troops," he pointed out. "They were more than helpful last time."
"They coordinated well with Armon and the others," I said.
"They did." Kerok busied himself with his plate. I poured tea for him and didn't mention that we'd been classified as deserters at the time.
Ani, I sent to her, I'll take you, Kyal and Laren to train with Cole, and we're working on getting new instructors for the boys.
Her mental shriek of joy scorched a few brain cells, I think. I wasn't sure what Pottles would think about this, but I hoped she'd accept it.
Jubal
"I tried walking into the village last night," Narvin complained. "Something held me back—a shield or such."
"A shield?" I sniped. "Can't be."
"It's true," Willa countered. I was furious that she had the temerity to speak directly to me, and question my opinion at the same time. "We have to meet the spies outside their villages to get information," she huffed. I wanted to spit on her for her impertinence.
"Then it's a damn good thing I live outside the village, isn't it?" I snapped at her.
"Willa, go to our room. I'll handle this," Narvin growled. Just as well he did that—I was ready to blast her. I still had power left, by the first warrior, and I'd show her what I could do from a few feet away.
"Fine. He's a bastard," she threw up her hands and stalked toward the spare room.
"It was a shield, put up by that witch," Narvin hissed at me. "I'd bet on it."
"What witch?" I demanded.
"The one who's Queen, now. Haven't you heard about her?"
"That's all bullshit, to scare us," I dismissed his claim with a wave of my hand. Narvin's voice changed, then. Became rougher. More menacing. "Fear her, puny worm," the voice commanded, while a terrifying, reddish light appeared in his eyes. "She is formidable, and her life is mine to take. Obey me in this, or I'll kill you now and find another servant to convey messages. I've already taken steps to protect my spies from the King's meddling census," he added. "Don't think I can't destroy you if it pleases me."
Dropping to my knees, I quaked at the fire burning deep within Narvin's eyes. Before pain and unconsciousness claimed me, I cursed my existence.
Sherra
"Written permission from the King to take Laren and Kyal with me," I set the sealed paper on the camp commander's desk.
Lifting his head, he studied me for a moment, as if deciding whether I was worthy of a reply. No wonder the boys were threatened with death every day; under his
command, I didn't see how it could be otherwise. I'd ask Kerok about this one the moment I returned to the palace.
"Was it signed by Thorn himself?"
"Yes."
"I'll have a look." His movements were deliberately slow as he took the paper from me.
"Ah, Queen Sherra," Hunter suddenly appeared at my side. "I ah, forgot to give you important information, earlier," he added. "Captain Mort," Hunter addressed the camp commander politely afterward.
"Crown Prince Hunter?" Mort lifted an eyebrow at Hunter before rising and dipping his head.
"What information was that?" I asked Hunter, puzzled.
"Information from King Thorn," he said. "That if Mort fails to be respectful to the Queen, he can clean out his desk and I'll find something else for him to do."
Mort almost choked at Hunter's words.
Hunter
"The ass was still sitting while the Queen stood in front of his desk," I complained to Thorn.
"Where's Sherra now?" Thorn asked, steepling his fingers and studying me from behind his desk.
"She took Kyal and Laren to the girls' camp, to get Anari. I believe Cole already knows they're on the way."
"Good. Did Mort's attitude improve? Father put him where he is, training the men, because he was too surly to work with an escort."
"I believe it only improved because I was there," Hunter snorted. "He has no place teaching boys."
"Then I'll make sure he only trains the twenty-year-olds from now on."
"Did it upset Sherra?"
"She told me she's used to it."
"There hasn't been a queen in Az-ca for a long while, and certainly not one who's been in the army," Thorn grumbled. "They have no respect—most of them. If she's not upset, I'm upset on her behalf."
"As am I. Without her, we'd likely both be dead. Mort hasn't learned that lesson, yet, and will probably be ungrateful when he does."
"Too bad her dreamwalker chose not to interfere with that one."
"That is a weapon best left sheathed until it's needed, my King."
"You're right, as usual. Do we have new sightings of Narvin and Willa to go over?"
"I have three reports," I said. "One is—shall we say strange, at best?"
Chapter 7
Kerok
"All this is about a neighbor who takes long walks at night?" I handed the report back to Hunter.
"I said it was strange, and probably one disgruntled neighbor pointing a finger at another," Hunter said. "He hasn't followed the neighbor, or if he has, decided that a long walk was all it was with nothing else to report about it."
"Do you think we should investigate?"
"If we go during the day, it may make the night-walking one suspicious enough to curtail his activities—if he's doing something wrong."
"Then pull in the messenger. Let's ask him questions," I sighed.
"I'll send for him," Hunter promised and walked out of my study.
Sherra
"I have to supervise the training," I shrugged at Cole. "Teach them everything. Anari can fire blasts—I just know it. You train your people to do the same—and to shield. Those three," I studied the tea in my cup for a moment, "I think they will be the future of our army."
"It will be a pleasure." Cole smiled at me over the edge of his tea mug. "How often might we expect you here to supervise?"
"At least two days a week. Three, if I have my way. I can bring Caral with me, and we can work on the laws here, too, if you'd like. It's nice to be surrounded by trees, with a view of the ocean in the distance."
"It does make a nice backdrop to work," he agreed. "Very well, three days per week it will be. The young ones will be assigned separate sleeping quarters, of course, and they can train together during the days."
"I know he's much older, but I think it would have been fun to train next to Kerok," I sighed.
Cole only smiled at my wistfulness. Anari, Laren and Kyal were being given a gift that they would appreciate their entire lives, I think.
"I'd like you to provide training on the more recently developed lessons—you and Caral," Cole said. "You're most familiar with those things, and it helps at times to go straight to the source."
"Have you heard from Kyri?" I asked, causing Cole's eyebrows to rise.
"She is now working as a servant in Kaakos' palace," he grimaced and set his mug down. "To Kaakos, his servants are invisible, unless they displease him. Keep your hopes alive that she will continue to escape his notice, until a way can be found to destroy him forever."
"That's something else I'd like to talk to you about," I said. "Remember the idea of combining shields and blasts?"
"I do. It would be wondrous, if we can accomplish that feat."
"I think we should begin training here—with your people—three days a week. I can arrange to bring Caral, Misten and Levi, I think, and perhaps trade off with Armon and Levi, just so they can both get some training. I can't leave Secondary Camp without one or the other."
A light appeared in Cole's eyes as I spoke—he was hoping for this; I could see it clearly. "It will be done," he breathed. "When shall we inform our army?"
"I'd say let's do it two days from now—when I'm back to supervise the young ones' training."
"Well enough," he slapped a hand on his small table. "Well enough."
Anari
Laren, Kyal and I were allowed to sit on Cole's front porch to drink our tea and talk, while Sherra and Cole discussed things inside. In the distance, we could see sunlight shining over so much water it was almost blinding.
"This is so amazing," Kyal grinned as he squinted at the water. "I never thought I'd get to see the ocean like this."
"Doret wasn't happy about me leaving, but she didn't say anything," I said. "She asked me weeks ago to keep an eye on the troublemakers and let her know what they were doing, but I hated being the one telling on them every ten minutes."
"Not fair," Laren agreed. "I'd hate that, too."
"I just hope they don't cause more trouble, now that I'm gone."
"Let the instructors worry about that," Laren said. "Come on—we're here. We're together. That's behind us."
"I know."
"I never felt like I fit in," Kyal sighed. "I already knew what they were teaching, and it was boring. Then they kept telling us we'd die if we didn't pay attention. Like we didn't think we were going to die when Merrin took our village."
"They say he escaped from the lockup," Laren said. "That's terrible. He could hurt other villages, like he did ours."
"Who was that other man who escaped with him?" I asked. "I don't remember hearing about him, before."
"Garkus. He's the one who fired on the supply camp, with the people still inside it. Burned it down, too. That's what I overheard at the training camp," Kyal grumbled. "He was supposed to go on trial a few days after he escaped."
"Merrin, too. They got away just in time, I think," Laren grumbled. "What do you think they'll do, if they're together?"
"I don't think that will happen," I said. "Doret said that Garkus wanted to kill Merrin; that's why he blasted the camp."
"I wish they'd just come out and tell us what's going on," Kyal said. "I hate having to sneak around to get information."
"Maybe Cole will tell us," I said. "I hope so, anyway. He seems nice enough."
"I hope they'll train us to shield and fire blasts, like Doret was doing before we got separated," Laren said. "I think we're good at all those things."
"I like shielding," Kyal agreed. "It irked me that they weren't training us on it when we moved to the boy's training camp."
"Irked? Good word," Laren bumped Kyal's shoulder with his. "I'm stealing it."
"Words are free, man. Did you not get that message?" Kyal teased.
"Do you think Cole has a library? I really want to read stories," I said. "There weren't any books at training camp."
"I miss that, too. It was nice to choose books from the King's library," Laren agreed.
> "Kyri has a library," Kyal pointed out. "Maybe Cole will let us read some of those books."
"I don't know," I said. "Doret only let us see a few of those, before we left."
"We wouldn't damage them, if that's what they're worried about," Kyal huffed. "We know to take care of things like that."
"Well, nobody's there, now," Laren pointed out. "Those books are just sitting there, getting dusty with nobody to read them."
He was right, and a plan began forming in my mind, then, if Cole didn't have books for us to read.
Sherra
Keep an eye on them, I told Cole in mindspeak. We worry that they may come to Kaakos' attention.
I've already considered that; his expression became grim. I'll be watching. I hope Kaakos stays far, far away from these. He has killed so many children already.
I'm worried he'll use them to attack us, and force us to kill them, I voiced my biggest fear.
That would indeed be a tragedy, Cole agreed. Terrible. Is that one of the factors you considered when you brought them here?
Yes, I confessed. I can depend on you to call me for help, when that fool in charge of the boys' camp would just blast first and ask questions afterward. Plus, I can lay a special shield around your village, to keep them from being pulled away. They can only leave if someone else is with them, I added.
I understand your concerns, and appreciate the shield. I will most certainly send mindspeak if I see or hear anything out of the ordinary.
Thank you. I'll let Adahi know, too, in case we need help.
Good. "I'm almost finished with the current revisions on the laws," he said aloud.
"I'll take copies with me to read, then, and ask Hunter to do the same."
Secondary Camp
Armon
"Our schedules just got busier," I told Levi, as he and I supervised a training class. Today, Caral and Misten were helping Doret train younglings. I'd already gotten mindspeak from Caral; Doret wasn't particularly happy that Sherra had taken Anari, Laren and Kyal to Cole for training together, but I thought it a good idea.
"How's that?" Levi stood beneath a tree with me, his arms crossed over his chest while we watched training exercises.
Black Rose Queen: Black Rose Sorceress, Book 3 Page 9