The man crouched over her, shoved her cloak aside, and grabbed the Ti-Ank at her waist with his free hand while the other held the enormous knife poised above her chest. All he had to do was let his arm drop. Just once was all it would take. The size of the knife was such that she doubted she’d survive no matter where it struck.
The man’s mouth stretched into a wide, maniacal smile, and one look into his equally maniacal eyes told Karma there would be no reasoning with him. He not only intended to kill her, he meant to enjoy it. Luckily, he got distracted when the Ti-Ank failed to come free of the loop on her belt.
He yanked at it again, but it remained stubbornly affixed to her belt. He screamed with rage as he began jerking at his prize over and over again, causing the belt to dig painfully into her back, while his knife swayed above her, one second over her face, the next over her heart. In spite of his efforts, the thin leather loop holding the Ti-Ank to her belt held fast.
The man’s weight on top of her prevented her from drawing air into her lungs and her vision began to grow spotty around the edges. Still unable to tear her eyes from the blade threatening to take her life, Karma barely registered the dark, silvery blur flashing over her, taking the man, and his knife, with it as it flew past. The man’s scream became a strained gurgle before it cut off abruptly just as her lungs finally filled with much needed air. A moment later Zakiel was on his knees beside her, his hands running over her frantically as he searched for injuries.
“I’m fine, Zakiel,” she gasped as she reached for the Ti-Ank with one hand, relieved to find it still at her waist as her other hand spread protectively over her stomach. “I’m fine.”
“You are not fine,” he growled, the marks of both the Tigren and the Vatra fully displayed. “I saw you hit the ground, valia. Saw that…that…obscenity on top of you. Please be still while I make sure you’re uninjured.”
“What happened?” she asked, looking up to find a crowd of men staring down at her. “Never mind, let me up.”
“Karma,” Zakiel began, but she interrupted him.
“Please, Zakiel,” she whispered. He looked up at his men’s faces, and hesitated. After her serious injury weeks earlier, he understood the depth of their need to be assured that Lady Techu was well. At the same time, he also understood her need to be away from the stares. He stood up with her cradled in his arms, her face pressed against his chest. He bowed slightly to the Hunters gathered around, a silent promise to let them know how she was as soon as he knew. Then he turned and hurried toward their tent. “I can walk,” she said, her voice muffled against his cloak.
“No,” Zakiel replied shortly, tightening his hold.
Karma started to protest, but the set of Zakiel’s jaw and the trembling in his arms silenced her. The man who’d attacked her was dead, of that she had no doubt. But it didn’t change Zakiel’s fear for her in the slightest. She tried to imagine seeing him attacked as she’d been, and had no trouble at all understanding his feelings.
“Zakiel,” she said softly once he stepped into the privacy of their tent. He paused and looked down at her, his eyes red with the anger of the Vatra, his face marked with the stripes of the Tigren. “I promise you, I’m fine, as are our children. Please calm down.”
“He was on top of you,” he bit out between his teeth, his voice deep and gravelly.
“Yes,” she said, reaching up to stroke his jaw in a soothing gesture. “We are lucky I’m less than two months pregnant. Our children are yet too tiny to be so easily harmed, and his weight was not directly over them anyway.”
Zakiel looked deep into her eyes for a long moment, then nodded tightly as he crossed the tent and set her carefully on her cushion. He knelt on the floor beside her. “Are you sure you’re not injured anywhere? I saw him knock you down.”
“Yes, he knocked the wind out of me, and I may develop a bruise or two, but nothing more serious than that,” she said, keeping her voice as calm and soothing as she could for his sake.
“I’m so sorry,” Zakiel said, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and drawing her close, resting his cheek against the top of her head.
“Why are you apologizing?” she asked in surprise.
“Because I failed to keep you and our unborn children safe,” Zakiel said. “The three of you are everything to me, Karma. One moment of carelessness and I nearly lost all of you.”
“You cannot guard me every moment of the day, Zakiel,” Karma said, pulling back to look into his eyes. “Nor could I stand it if you tried. Please, let us put the blame where it belongs. Do you know that man?”
“He’s one of the cooks, though I can’t recall his name at the moment,” Zakiel said, his hands running over her body as he spoke, checking for injuries. She didn’t attempt to stop him, understanding his need to check for himself.
“I don’t understand,” she said, shaking her head while he ran his hands down her legs. “Why did that man suddenly attack me right in front of everyone?”
“He went mad, obviously,” Zakiel said, slipping her boots off. “Maybe the stress of the long journey, the constant demon attacks, or some combination of the two sent him over the edge. I doubt we’ll ever know.”
“No, Zakiel, there’s more to it than that,” Karma said. “He was trying to get the Ti-Ank.”
Zakiel froze, his eyes searching hers for a long moment. “You are certain?”
“Positive,” Karma said. “He couldn’t get it free of my belt and kept yanking at it.”
“That’s why he didn’t kill you,” Zakiel said, the image of the madman atop Karma with a butcher knife burned into his mind for all time. “We were all racing toward you, but it was plain to see that no one could possibly reach you before he brought that knife down, yet he didn’t. That’s why. He was distracted with trying to get the Ti-Ank. I’m grateful Nikura was faster than all of us and reached you before he freed the Ti-Ank.”
“Yes, so am I,” Karma said, tucking her feet beneath herself on the cushion now that he was finished checking her. “But why did he attack me in full view of everyone? He had to have known he’d never get away with it. And why did he want the Ti-Ank? Was he cin sahib?”
“I don’t know,” Zakiel said, “but I will find out if you promise that you will not move from this spot.”
“I promise,” Karma said. Zakiel nodded, then got to his feet and looked around before spotting one of Karma’s shawls. He placed it around her shoulders and kissed her on the forehead.
“I love you, Karma,” he said, his eyes staring intently into hers. She smiled and brushed her fingertips lightly over his cheek.
“I know you do,” she said. “It’s the greatest blessing of my life, right beside my love for you.”
Zakiel kissed her again, then rose and crossed to the entryway. He stuck his head out of the tent and spoke, though Karma didn’t catch what he said. A moment later two Hunters stepped inside. “No one crosses this threshold without my permission,” Zakiel commanded. Sir Jenz and Sir Stiven bowed, fist to head and heart, then took up positions on either side of the entrance, their swords in their hands as they faced each other. Just then Kapia entered through the connecting doorway between their tent and the women’s tent.
“May we come in?” she asked.
“Yes, Sister, please do,” Zakiel said. “I have to go out for a few minutes and I’ll feel better if you’ll stay with Karma while I’m gone.”
“We won’t leave her,” Kapia promised, stepping through the entrance. Ren entered right behind her, then Tiari, walking carefully with several layers of wrapping around her feet, then Tomas, watching over her carefully. Zakiel nodded to his cousin, relieved by his presence, then turned and hurried out of the tent. Timon knelt and placed a cup in front of her, then filled it with her favorite tea while the others sat down, forming a large circle.
“Are you all right, Karma?” Tiari asked nervously. “I’m sorry to ask, but I can’t see you like everyone else can.”
“I’m fine,” Karma sa
id, smiling in an effort to reassure everyone. “I just got the wind knocked out of me, that’s all.”
“What happened?” Kapia asked. “We know you were attacked, but nothing more.”
Karma explained what she knew in as few words as possible. She finished just as Nikura entered the tent. Karma saw Sir Jenz twitch as the Sphin passed between him and Sir Stiven, then he looked over at her uncertainly. She shook her head. She didn’t want to see what Nikura would do to the man if he attempted to keep him away from her. Sir Jenz returned his gaze to the doorway and Karma relaxed as Nikura walked straight to her without looking at anyone else. He sat beside her, close enough that his damp fur brushed her arm.
“I apologize for the delay in coming to your side, Lady Techu,” he said. “I could not dishonor you by entering your presence with the blood of a traitor staining my claws, and it took longer than expected to cleanse myself.”
His words were formal, something she rarely heard from him. She understood that this was his way of holding his own fear and fury in check. “That’s perfectly all right, Nikura,” she said. “I thank you, my friend, for saving my life once again.” Much to her surprise, Nikura purred. It was very low and faint, and lasted only a few moments, but it was definitely a purr. Karma leaned in to him, returning the affection.
“I suppose I should thank you for warning the Hunter back,” Nikura said. “It probably wouldn’t be good form to kill one of Prince Zakiel’s men for guarding you too zealously, no matter how relaxing it would have been to burn off a bit of excess…energy.” Karma laughed softly as she reached up to rub Nikura’s ears but decided not to comment. After all, Sir Jenz was just doing his job, even if it was ridiculous of him to think she needed to be protected from Nikura.
“May I ask a question?” Ren said hesitantly.
“Of course, Ren,” Karma said, her eyes going to the entrance when Zakiel returned with Bredon. Like Nikura, Zakiel walked straight to her and sat down at her other side even though there was no cushion there. Bredon went to stand behind Kapia, his expression as grim as Zakiel’s.
“This man who attacked you, was it out of character for him to do such a thing?” Ren asked.
“I don’t know,” Karma replied. “He was familiar to me, but I didn’t know him.”
“According to the other cooks, yes, it was,” Zakiel said. “His name was Gavon, and they all agreed that he was a quiet, soft spoken man who never lost his temper. I checked, but saw nothing to indicate that he was cin sahib.”
Ren’s face, already pale, lost all color. “Karma, this is it, this is the thing I couldn’t remember,” she said, her voice strained.
“What is?” Karma asked in surprise.
Ren shook her head. “I must be certain,” she said, then looked at Zakiel. “Highness, I apologize if this is presumptuous, but may I suggest that someone look at the back of Gavon’s neck.”
“Of course, Hara Ren,” Zakiel said. “What should they look for?”
“A perfectly round, open wound, about a quarter of an inch across, just at the top of the spine where it meets the neck.” Ren swallowed hard. “Or a white scar of the same size and shape.”
“I’ll go and look myself,” Bredon offered. “Do you want to accompany me, Hara Ren?”
“No, I don’t want to, but I will,” Ren said, already getting to her feet. “I have to see for myself to be sure.”
“I’ll come with you,” Kapia offered, much to Ren’s obvious relief.
After they left the tent, Zakiel looked around at the tense faces and gestured to Timon. “Yes, Highness?” he asked.
“I think we could all use something a bit stronger to drink than tea,” he said. “Some wine should do it.”
Everyone watched in silence while Timon brought the wine and glasses, then poured for everyone, including the absent Kapia, Ren, and Bredon. Karma declined since she was pregnant, but everyone else was glad to accept. Just as he finished, Bredon, Kapia, Ren and, to no one’s great surprise, Marl, entered the tent. Marl stopped to bow to Zakiel while the others returned to their previous places.
“Pardon me, Highness,” he said. “I ask to be allowed to watch over Hara Ren for the remainder of the evening.”
“Of course, Marl,” Zakiel said, barely taking his eyes from Karma.
“Thank you, Highness,” Marl said, then went to stand behind Ren.
“Did you find what you were looking for?” Karma asked Ren, who now looked decidedly green in the light of the extra candles Timon had lit.
“Yes, I’m afraid I did,” Ren replied. She reached for the tea cup in front of her with a shaking hand and emptied it.
“Try the wine,” Karma suggested. “It should help you to relax a little.”
Ren put her cup down and picked up the glass, taking a few healthy swallows. When she set her glass down, she seemed to have a bit more color in her cheeks and her hands shook less.
“What does the mark on the back of Gavon’s neck mean, Hara Ren?” Zakiel asked.
“It means that a small, nearly invisible demon called caraspu resides within his body,” Ren said, shocking everyone. It was the last thing any of them expected to hear.
“I’ve never heard of this demon, caraspu,” Zakiel said, purposefully gentling his voice. “Please, tell us what you know about it.”
“Several years ago there was a man, a storekeeper in Walshire, the village below Sanctuary, who travelled to a distant town for goods to sell in his shop,” she said. “It was a trip he made three or four times a year, but this one time, when he returned, there was something wrong with him. He killed his wife, his daughter and her husband, and set his own store on fire. Half the village burned before the fire was doused. The storekeeper immediately tried to set another fire, but he was caught, and accidentally killed when several villagers piled on top of him in an effort to subdue him.
“Please understand that this was a good man,” she said earnestly. “He was very well respected in the village, and was always attentive to those in need. More than one family made it through a hard winter because of his generosity alone. The villagers didn’t understand why he’d suddenly behaved so far out of character, so they petitioned First Brai Adaya for answers. It was she who found the mark on the back of the man’s neck, and explained what it meant.”
“What does it mean?” Zakiel asked, nausea suddenly churning in his stomach as he began to suspect where this story was going.
“Caraspu are spy demons,” Ren said. “They enter through a small wound they make in that exact spot I told you about. It never deviates. Once inside a body, it can stay for as long as it wishes, but the wound will remain unhealed, a clear sign of caraspu’s presence for anyone who knows what to look for. Once it exits a body, a white scar forms. The scar prevents it from ever returning to that person again.”
“And what does this demon do to the person it inhabits?” Zakiel asked.
“It attempts to control the person, to get him, or her, to do what it wants.” Ren finished the wine in her glass. It had an odd flavor that she wasn’t sure she liked, but it seemed to relax her, which she was grateful for. She looked at Karma. “It wasn’t until several years after that incident that I learned more about the caraspu in my studies, so I didn’t put it all together until tonight when Gavon behaved as the storekeeper had.”
“I don’t understand,” Karma said.
“Not everyone reacts to the caraspu in the same way,” Ren said. “Some people go insane, as the storekeeper and Gavon did. Some people never even notice its presence, though they may do things that, ordinarily, they never would consider doing. Or, they may become angrier or more vindictive than they otherwise might. Still others welcome it, and choose to work with it on the side of evil. And then there are those who know it’s there, and fight it until it either leaves them, or they die.” Ren turned to look at Marl meaningfully, and his eyes widened in shock.
Tomas jumped to his feet, his face white. “Zakiel, please check the back of my neck,” he
said tightly.
“Of course,” Zakiel agreed, getting up and walking around the circle to where Tomas waited with one hand holding his longish hair up off his neck.
“There is a circular scar here,” Zakiel said. “It’s small, a quarter inch across, precisely in the spot you indicated, Hara Ren.”
“Is it white?” she asked.
“Yes, it is,” Zakiel said, stepping away from Tomas.
“At some time in the past, the demon was inside of you, Sir Tomas,” Ren said. “But it’s left you, and can never return.”
“I never noticed it at the time,” Tomas said, a slight tremor in his voice the only sign of the horror he felt. “Or perhaps I did, a little. I was so much angrier than usual when we started the Orb Quest, but I wasn’t really sure why.”
“When you asked to hold the Ti-Ank and became so angry when I refused,” Karma said softly. Tomas nodded.
“I’ve thought and thought about that and could never understand it,” he said. “I remember wanting to hold it, but I didn’t know why. I know I don’t want to touch it now.” He shook his head. “I know I’ve done and said a lot of awful things over the years. I was a fool, I know that now, and I take full responsibility for all the cruel, jealous, spiteful things I did and said over the years. But my behavior during those few weeks has…haunted me. It was so much worse than even I could understand.”
“Sir Tomas, would you please check my neck?” Marl asked in a low voice. Every eye in the room went to him, but Ren got to her feet and turned around to face him.
“Please, allow me.”
Marl met Ren’s gaze for a long moment. Then he nodded and turned around. Ren reached up with shaking hands, understanding just how important this moment was for Marl. And herself. She hesitated, then gently slid his hair out of the way to bare the back of his neck. There, plain for all to see in the candlelight, was the circular white scar she’d described.
The Quest for the Heart Orb (The Orbs of Rathira) Page 17