Thread Skein (Golden Threads Trilogy Book 3)

by Leeland Artra

  When they saw who it was, three warriors started to relax, and the warlord let his eyes narrow in contempt. The guard commander called out, “DON’T YOU DARE LET THIS IMPOSTOR PASS WITH HIS BLINDING ILLUSIONS!”

  The three warriors realized their mistake, and their eyes hardened as they once again stood ready to cut him to ribbons.

  Maru-Ashua nodded and gave the first part of the passcode. “The moons shall guide.”

  The commander scowled at him. “Tis a cloudy night.”

  Maru-Ashua drew the one blade he could, holding it so the bands showed to the guards. He let the illusion of the captain drop as he gave both the final pass and the proof of his identity. His maker’s mark glowed white as he said, “Clouds cannot block my sight.”

  Most of the warriors sucked in a short breath of air as he revealed himself, but they were unwavering, their blades remaining ready. The commander stepped forward, and they crossed swords in salute. His blades glowed momentarily after coming into contact with Maru-Ashua’s ancient odassi.

  The commander and all the guards sheathed their swords, almost in perfect unison, and bowed to him.

  “Commander, most excellent. How did you know I was approaching?”

  He stood tall, and pointed to a medium-height female warrior. “Numio-Yantha signaled the warning. I have not had time to ask her why.”

  The warrior appeared to be in her late twenties, but only wore the rank of corporal. However, she wore two ancient odassi blades that predated the ones commonly issued. She was marked with potential greatness by being selected by them to be their bearer. He addressed her. “Corporal Numio-Yantha, explain how you knew someone was approaching.”

  She bowed deeply and then stood straight. “First Warlord, I heard your footsteps upon the stairs. I correctly identified you. However, when you paused, I realized you wanted to test us.”

  The commander couldn’t stop himself. “You will show respect, Corporal!”

  It took some willpower for him to control his reaction and not laugh at her brashness and wit.

  “Commander, do you value this corporal?”

  Facing him, he came to attention. “Sir, she’s a worthy warrior. However, I have had to discipline her too often.”

  Which explains the rank.

  “Very well. I wish to see to her personally. Corporal, at the end of your shift, you will pack your gear and report to Barracks One. Tomorrow, you shall have to deal with my trainers.”

  The corporal was smart enough to realize that this was a unique opportunity, which was also dangerous. She had enough common sense to keep her mouth closed, although he could see her cheeks turn pink, and her eyes first widened and then narrowed.

  Maru-Ashua laughed inwardly. Oh, you will be very interesting. Excellent control. Smart enough to be scared almost to death at first, but resolved to fight your way into my personal ranks.

  “Yes, sir!” She responded with enthusiasm he hadn’t seen in a while.

  All distractions aside, it’s time to do what I really came for.

  Stepping through the guards, he touched the chains with his odassi. The gold and silver inlays glowed, and the door groaned under the release of the pressure the chains applied to keep it sealed tight.

  Stepping back, he ordered, “Open the door and close it behind me. You will all stand on the far side of this chamber, isolating yourself from all sound, until I open these doors again. If you hear anything at all, you will be executed.”

  Eight warriors leapt to pull the chains away and then release the catches that had been held in place. For their size, the doors made little sound as they were pushed inward, revealing a room filled with silks and deep fur rugs. On the far side of the room, the beautiful Lady Lothia sat up from her bed. Her pale skin was mottled with amber bruises, and her face was a mask of dark purple scabs with swollen, cut lips. Her jaw was misaligned, enhancing the general look of grotesquery.

  Before he stepped into the room, he looked back at Corporal Numio-Yantha. “Except for you, Corporal. You will stand guard and listen for intrusion. If you hear any of what transpires, you will not speak of it.” Ignoring the commander’s eyes, he turned his back, stepping into the room. The guards pulled the doors closed behind him.

  He bowed, keeping the heavy tray level. “Lady Lothia, I am First Warlord Maru-Ashua. I apologize for taking so long to welcome you to Hisuru Amajoo. We have had a busy cycle since you first arrived here. I see that the collar is doing its job a little too well.”

  Lothia tried to respond, but her misaligned jaw made her unable to speak in more than a grunt.

  Stepping over to the dining table, he placed the tray on it and lifted the silver dome off, revealing ten purple teardrop bottles of ancient sharre wine and a small glass with a straw. Also on the platter were four full roasted chickens, two beef roasts, a bowl filled with steaming fish, and two large portions of fresh vegetables and fruit.

  After opening the first bottle, he put the glass straw into it and stepped over to Lothia. “Lady, I am truly sorry. Before you drink of this, I must correct your jaw. And I’m sure you understand the result and consequences of both actions.”

  Lothia was sniffing the air, and she looked at him as her eyebrows raised.

  “Yes, this is what you think. Will you allow me to correct your jaw?”

  Lothia stared at him before she nodded and sat straight, thrusting her chin up towards him. She closed her eyes and grabbed the bedding with both hands.

  “Thank you, Lady.” He set the bottle down on the nightstand by the bed. He carefully felt the broken jaw, deciding on the necessary steps. It would take a lot of force to rebreak the bones of an immortal. He knew that if he missed, it could cause more problems. With his ancient odassi, he had the power. It would be a true test of his precision and control.

  Positioning himself for the proper leverage, he took her head into his arm and, squeezing tightly, he pulled his other hand back. With the energies from his blades, he struck her three times. Each strike caused her to scream and twist. In spite of her amazing strength, he held her head where he needed it. As soon as he finished, he manipulated her jaw into the correct position as Lothia exerted an impressive amount of willpower, holding her head almost still.

  He inserted the straw into her mouth and, with a single draw, she emptied the entire bottle.

  He leapt back as her body started to glow. She sat stiffly, concentrating. The golden collar did its job — lightning leapt from it, racking her neck and upper torso with fire. She screamed as the collar drained off the magic from the wine. When the final magics had been drawn off, she was still bruised, but her face wasn’t as swollen. She looked at him, sweat pouring from her skin.

  She tested her jaw. Although she winced, it seemed to be correctly placed and partially healed. “More,” she said.

  He opened the next bottle and filled the small glass before putting the straw into the bottle. He held both out for her to choose. “The glass will take longer, but the collar shouldn’t react to small doses.”

  She stared at them and sighed, pointing to the glass. He nodded and moved the straw to the glass. She took it and sipped until the glass was empty. She began to glow, and the collar drained away the excess before she could use it for something else.

  Pulling up a chair, he sat across from her, filling her glass as she worked her way through two more bottles.

  She looked like the perfect image of a Karakian woman. Lithe, with lightly tanned skin, her face was a painter’s dream. Maru-Ashua knew she was fully healed, but he let her keep trying to overcome the collar through another bottle.

  “Are you satisfied you will not be able to escape that on your own, even with all this power?” He gestured at the remaining six unopened bottles.

  She touched the collar. “I’m surprised you found one of these. Hone
stly, I’m also surprised it still works, considering where you had to have found it.”

  “We found a remote Elracian station entirely intact. It held numerous treasures.”

  She gave him a cold glare.

  “Yes, Lothia. We know a lot of things your kind tried to hide from the world. I had started learning about these things years ago. Although, I admit I was ignorant until I became First Warlord and gained access to the archives here. The Grand Warlord doesn’t know how much I have learned, or how much I already knew.”

  “I cannot discuss this with you.”

  “Yes; I know the ruling body of the immortals, which you call the Circle, has forbidden it. In fact, if I’m right, my admitting I have this knowledge to you means a death sentence for me and everyone around me. Doesn’t it?”

  She had the decency to look away.

  He stood and picked up the remaining bottles, leaving the food. “I know your kind needs magic to live. Your internal stores should be as replenished as that prison collar will allow. I’ll leave you what remains of that bottle there. If you nurse it correctly, you will be able to live a few years in good health. You know as well as I you will be in better health if you eat mundane foods. I don’t know what you like or dislike; eat what you desire, and place the tray on the floor by the door. The guards will take it, and I promise that only what you eat will be provided. You may ask for mundane items that cannot be used for incantations. You have paper, ink, and quills in the desk. Use them to ask for what you want, and I will approve each item personally. If you wish to speak with me again, you have but to ask. I will attend you as my duties permit.”

  She stood and, probably for the first time in thousands of years, did not float above the ground. “Maru-Ashua....”

  “First Warlord Maru-Ashua, or Warlord,” he corrected.

  Lothia stared at him before nodding. “Apologies. First Warlord Maru-Ashua, you will not be able to hold me. You know the other Gods will come. If they fail to free me, I fear my husband will come.” She touched the collar. “And I tell you this because you’re obviously a fair man. You will not get one of these onto him.”

  Without fear, he said, “You are not gods. Lord Argos may or may not be able to penetrate here. But surely you know now that our defenses are equal to your mightiest blows. You have already failed once to destroy this place, and yet here you are, our prisoner. Do you not realize how many people you could have killed if not for Grand Warlord Shar-Lumen’s foresight?”

  Lothia pulled back from the venom in his tone. She was about to answer when the doors thundered open. They both turned to see who was there. In the open doorway, Grand Warlord Shar-Lumen stood in full armor. Maru-Ashua was taller and far more heavily muscled than him, yet Shar-Lumen’s presence filled the room with such force that Maru-Ashua felt like a lion cub watching an adult alpha male in its prime.

  Looking at Lothia and the bottles in Maru-Ashua’s hands, a small smile creased the Grand Warlord’s face. “Lady Lothia, I’m pleased my First Warlord has tended to your needs.” He raised an eyebrow. “From my personal reserve, no less.”

  Maru-Ashua felt his neck heating up; he knew he had overstepped his authority. Still, he stood proudly, not reacting to either the grand entrance or Shar-Lumen’s seemingly casual tone.

  “Grand Warlord Shar-Lumen, please. I voted against attacking the Nhia-Samri. We can end this if you let me go.”

  Shar-Lumen laughed curtly. “My dear Lady, what makes you think I want to end this? I forced Lady Dalpha’s vote to ensure war was declared. Of course, that was not punishment enough. I then executed her for her countless crimes against my people.”

  Lothia cried out, falling to her knees. “NO! How could you?” she screamed as she collapsed into a heap.

  Shar-Lumen watched as Lothia wept on the floor. “I’m sorry. Didn’t First Warlord Maru-Ashua tell you this?”

  Maru-Ashua stood still. He’s playing a much larger game than I ever expected. I can’t tell if he’s truly insane or so cunning he appears insane.

  As sobs racked her body, Lothia held her head and curled into a ball. Tears poured from her tightly closed eyes, across her contorted face, as she screamed and hugged her knees in a futile attempt to comfort herself. Her wailing continued as she shook her head back and forth, trying to deny what she knew was the agonizing reality. She started coughing and gagging on phlegm.

  Stone-faced, Shar-Lumen watched briefly, then nodded to Maru-Ashua and turned, leaving the room.

  Realizing he needed to follow, Maru-Ashua took a final glance at the devastated Lady Lothia before he walked out of the cell. He wasn’t surprised that Shar-Lumen supervised the resealing of the prison door.

  Climbing the stairs the hundred meters back to the entry level of the palace had Maru-Ashua panting, but Shar-Lumen appeared to be fresh, like he had just awoken from a light nap. Shar-Lumen didn’t say a word until they returned to the throne room. He stepped up and sat in the throne, peering down upon Maru-Ashua.

  With a slight wave at a butler, he said, “Take those from the First Warlord and put them back in my personal reserve.”

  Glancing down, Maru-Ashua realized he was carrying the unopened bottles of sharre. The butler rushed over, taking the bottles, and ran out of the room.

  Because his throne was on a dais two meters above the floor, when Shar-Lumen looked straight out across the vast throne room, he saw over the heads of everyone there.

  Maru-Ashua waited, either for a rebuke or instructions. Finally, Shar-Lumen took a deep breath, and Maru-Ashua internally braced for what might be coming.

  “First Warlord Maru-Ashua.”

  “Yes, Grand Warlord. I am your servant.”

  Shar-Lumen laughed. “Thank you for tending to our guest of honor. In spite of her participation in the attacks on our own, I should have seen to her wounds earlier. It was rude of me to ignore her needs. You have done well. I was about to call for you when I sensed where you were.

  “Since that has been addressed, I request and require you to resolve a developing problem. I am dissatisfied with the field commander ordered to take the city of Allornia. He stupidly attacked guards there, slowing his forces down, allowing someone in the palace time to activate the ancient defenses.

  “He has since been unable to penetrate the palace and is, therefore, killing everyone there so he can provide me with an ever-increasing death count with little or no casualties to our forces.

  “Take what you deem necessary and finish capturing Allornia. I want that city under our control, and every last person in and around it who is not loyal to the Nhia-Samri eliminated within three days. Do you know how to penetrate an ancient city’s defenses?”

  “Yes, Grand Warlord. I have studied the techniques you developed. I will need to see what is active. I may require additional resources.”

  “You may have all you need. If you require additional mages, there are more here and at Outpost One. In fact, the second-in-command of Outpost One is a seasoned warrior-mage with experience fighting ancient technologies. Her name is General Hiri-Rula, and she successfully led the defense of the outpost, completely defeating the Gods’ ancient creatures with new incantations she personally developed after her original outpost was attacked and destroyed by the same.”

  Maru-Ashua bowed and turned. Just as he was about to exit, Shar-Lumen added, “Oh, and before you go, please look in on the needs of our other guest. You might want to inform her she is now the Lady of Healing for Niya-Yur. I’ll have a less aged bottle of sharre waiting for you with her guards.”

  “Lady Sula lives? You promised she would die instantly if Lady Dalpha removed your device.”

  “So I did. Lady Dalpha did not remove the device willingly. The Traitor, Amia-Dharo, now known as Orahda Ima, did. I am a lord of my word.”

  Shar-Lumen’s eyes revealed his emo
tions as he spoke the Traitor’s name. Maru-Ashua was sure he could feel waves of hatred and anger wash over the room from the Grand Warlord.

  Cunning and insane. I’m sure of it now. He’s after something. I must discover it before we all pay the price.

  Outside the throne room, he ordered his generals to assemble a special detachment for him. Once the orders were dispatched, he hurried to the other end of the palace complex, where the better prison cells were. There were several guards, and two of the fifty cells were locked and magically sealed.

  Stepping over to the first cell, he opened the view port and looked in. A warrior was confined to the back wall with iron chains inlaid with gold and silver.

  This must be Magus Cune, the Dagger follower of Dalpha assigned to protect Lady Sula.

  The man heard the slot opening and lifted his head. He had the crusted lips to be expected of prisoners not given enough water, and his cheeks hung like someone being starved. He was dirty from head to foot, and his forehead was dark purple from a healing wound. He’d obviously not been allowed to clean himself or shave in the last six weeks, from the time they’d been taken prisoner.

  “Magus Cune, I will have proper food brought to you and fresh water, so you may clean yourself. And I’ll have your cell cleaned. If you do not make trouble, these privileges shall continue.”

  The man didn’t know exactly who Maru-Ashua was, but he must have recognized the tone of authority. He sat up and held himself straight. “That would be an improvement, but I shall not give up seeking a means of escape. After what you have done to my charge, I will kill you all if I get the chance.”

  What does he mean by that? Maru-Ashua considered for a time his original offer. We can try to be reasonable.

  “No Dagger with your level of experience would. Still, we can be civil. Now that war has been declared, and the Daggers made officers of the Imperial Army, you’re technically an enemy officer. You shall be treated as such, so long as you act as one.”