Blades of the Old Empire

by Anna Kashina

  He hurriedly turned away and Ellah had a distinct impression he was trying to avoid any possibility of being questioned about this further. She watched his retreating back, then looked at Mai, who sat still with a dumbfounded expression.

  “How do you feel?” she asked.

  He hesitated. “Fine. I think.”

  They all looked at the distant figure of Ayalla, who had reached the Mirewalkers’ tents and disappeared into a small grove of snakewoods growing in their center.

  Egey Bashi ran his fingers along the thin line, barely visible on his restored face. “Good mood, eh?”

  “You’d wonder,” Raishan agreed.

  “It must have been one hell of a good mood,” the Keeper said. “This scar came from the Holy Wars. It’s hundreds of years old.”

  Ellah’s mouth fell open at this confession. She knew by the steady green color in her mind that he was telling the truth. But it didn’t make sense. He looked no older than forty, a man full of vigor, whose age could be guessed mostly by the scarce touch of gray in his thick dark hair. He couldn’t possibly be old enough to have fought in the Holy Wars.

  Were the rumors true? Did the Keepers really harbor the secret of immortality?

  At that moment she finally remembered something she should have said a long time ago. She turned to Egey Bashi with urgency.

  “I have a message for you, Magister,” she said. “From Mother Keeper. She and King Evan are prisoners in the Illitand Castle. She said if you knew that, you’d help her to get out.”

  Egey Bashi stared, his expression of wonder slowly giving way to shock.

  “Illitand Castle? Is the Duke out of his mind?”

  Ellah opened her mouth to respond, but Mai spoke first.

  “The Duke seems to have formed an unfortunate alliance with the Kaddim,” he said. “I’d say he’s in as much trouble as the King, even if he doesn’t realize it yet. We must conclude our business here and get back to Castle Illitand before things get out of hand.”

  Egey Bashi nodded. “You’re right, Aghat. We must hold our council and head back without delay.”

  44

  VIPER

  Kyth stayed with Kara until the Cha’ori women came over and took her away to wash and change her. Relief at seeing her alive was so overwhelming it made him weak. He strode unseeingly through the camp until he found himself at the pasture, where their horses roamed freely among the large herd of Cha’ori mounts. Kara’s gray mare stood munching grass at the side, next to Mai’s black stallion. Kyth’s horse was nowhere to be seen.

  Kyth paused, taking a full breath of the cool evening air. Too many things had happened to him in the last few days. He couldn’t believe that the worst was over and everything was all right again. With Kara back from the dead nothing bad could possibly happen to them anymore.

  He sensed a movement beside him and turned to meet Mai’s gaze.

  The Majat was back in his own clothes, neat and elegant as if the last few days hadn’t happened. He was still pale, and the dark circles under his eyes were still prominent, but the easy grace of his movements was back, making him look strong and confident just like before.

  Seeing his master, Mai’s stallion snorted and made its way toward them. He pressed his muzzle against Mai’s shoulder with a force that made him stumble back to keep his balance. Mai patted the shiny, raven-black coat, his expression tender as he ran his hand along the stallion’s neck in a slow caress.

  Kyth hesitated. He wanted to say so much, but he didn’t know where to begin.

  Mai spoke first. “I never had a chance to thank you for saving me from a fate far worse than death.”

  Kyth looked into his eyes, blue and tranquil like the summer sky.

  “I didn’t do much. You’re the one who saved yourself. And me. I just gave you a chance.”

  Mai held his gaze. A shadow fell over his face.

  “I’m trained to fight,” he said, “and I’m prepared to die in battle, if it ever comes to that. But to lose my arms and never be able to hold a weapon…” He paused. For a moment he looked almost vulnerable. Then the impression was gone.

  “I know you also saved my life more than once when I was unconscious or didn’t know what I was doing,” Mai went on. “I’m in your debt for those times as well. I hope I can repay it some day.”

  Kyth lowered his gaze and raised it steadily back to Mai’s face. “No. You don’t owe me a thing. What you did for Kara…” He stopped, unable to go on.

  Mai’s gaze became distant. “It’s not your score to settle. I didn’t do it for you.”

  “I know.”

  They stood for a long moment looking at each other.

  “Fine,” Mai said. “If this is the way you want it to be.”

  Kyth hesitated. “When I used my gift to shield you from their power, I didn’t do it for you either. I really hated you at the time.”

  “Why did you do it then?”

  “I felt that if I let them do this to you, I’d be no better than them. Not if I just stood by and watched, when there was something I could do about it. So, in a way, I did it for myself.”

  Mai gave him a long look.

  “Fair enough,” he said. “But if I were you, I wouldn’t be so quick to reject favors. I don’t owe them to many people.”

  He turned to his stallion and whispered in its ear. Then he patted the horse one last time, released the hold and turned to go back to camp. After a few paces, he stopped and looked at Kyth.

  “If you follow my horse,” he said, “you’ll find the one you’re looking for. He’s on the other side of the field.”

  Kyth stood for a moment, hesitating. Then he turned and followed the elegant shape of Mai’s black stallion into the dense herd.

  Mai stopped at the edge of the camp and glanced around, his eyes taking in all the activity of a busy evening. His gaze hovered over a distant figure, slim and elegant in her neat black clothes as she sat on the far side polishing a narrow dark blade. He paused, then made a decisive way over to her.

  When Kara saw him approach, her eyes widened and she tensed up, the violet of her gaze meeting his blue with an almost audible clash. She kept her face blank as he came up to her and stopped.

  “Mind if I join you?” Mai asked.

  Without saying a word, she moved over to make room for him. He lowered down by her side, but didn’t draw his weapon from its sheath to join the polishing ritual. Instead he sat still, watching her. She made an attempt to resume her task, but soon gave up and lowered her sword.

  They sat for a long moment looking at each other.

  “It was ‘viper’s kiss’, wasn’t it?” she asked at length.

  A shadow moved in the depth of his eyes. “Yes.”

  “Why did you do it?”

  A brief smile touched the corners of his mouth, but it never made its way to his eyes that remained in shadow as he looked at her.

  “Does it really matter?”

  She hesitated. “No.”

  He nodded, their gazes locked so tightly as if an invisible thread held them together.

  “That blow,” she said. “Is it true that you invented it, Aghat?”

  He laughed. “Is that what they say about me?”

  “Among other things. They talk a lot about you in the Inner Fortress.”

  His eyes lit up with laughter, but there was something else behind it that she couldn’t quite catch.

  “Strange that you should mention it,” he said. “When I was still around, all they did was talk about you.”

  She looked searchingly into his face. “Really?”

  “Really.”

  She shrugged, trying to relax and not quite succeeding. “I can’t imagine any of it could be half as impressive as what they say about you.”

  He continued to hold her gaze with an unsettling mixture of seriousness and laughter.

  “It was impressive enough,” he assured. “But none of these rumors do you justice.”

  She smiled, sea
rching for laughter in his eyes, but it was suddenly gone and only the seriousness remained. His look was so intense that it caught her like a bond. She sat back, her dark cheeks slowly lighting up with color.

  He held a pause. Then, without taking his eyes off her, he slowly reached into his pocket and took out a small object.

  “I have something for you.” He held it out in an open palm.

  It was a Majat token, a throwing star, but the stone in the middle of it was black. Instead of radiating light, like a regular Diamond token, this one seemed to absorb it.

  “Kar’Aghat,” he said. “The Black Diamond. I believe that now it belongs to you.”

  She hesitated. “As far as the Guild is concerned, I’m supposed to be dead.”

  He shrugged. “As far as the Guild is concerned, you are. At least for the moment.”

  “They’ll find out. Sooner or later they will, Aghat.”

  He smiled. “I believe in living dangerously. Don’t you?”

  She gave him a searching look.

  “You put your life on the line for me,” she said quietly. “I’m not worth it.”

  His gaze became tranquil. “It was my call to make. Not yours.”

  “Why did you do it?”

  “I thought you told me it didn’t really matter to you.”

  Her gaze wavered. “It shouldn’t,” she admitted.

  “But it does. Or else, you wouldn’t be asking again.”

  “Can’t you just tell me?”

  He laughed. “You don’t actually think I will, do you?”

  “Why not?”

  “Because,” he said, “it would make this conversation far too personal. And I’ve already made you uncomfortable.”

  He watched the blush rise to her cheeks.

  “You’re good at it,” she admitted.

  He paused a moment longer, then lowered his eyes. There was a shudder of released tension as he sat back and relaxed, his gaze once again becoming distant and tranquil.

  “I did it,” he said quietly, “because I believed it was the right thing to do.”

  There was a long pause. Then she carefully reached out and took the black diamond token from his hand. She put it into her open palm. Her gaze became thoughtful as she traced the smooth curves of the name rune with her thumb.

  “So, that’s what it looks like,” she said.

  “Yes. And since I know your name rune now, I believe it would be fair that I showed you mine.”

  He held out another token. This one had a white diamond in its center, throwing its glimmering light all around.

  She looked at it and raised her face to him, eyes wide.

  “Viper,” she whispered.

  He held her gaze. “Perhaps it answers your earlier question about rumors. This one happens to be true. I did invent that blow. But I didn’t name it. To be honest, I don’t really know who did.”

  Her lips twitched. “There’s also ‘viper’s sting’. It’s almost indistinguishable from the outside.”

  He nodded. “Same spot. Different angle. Death’s instant. I’ve only used it once in my life.”

  “So, the rumors are true after all.”

  He shrugged. “This one’s an exception. If you ever hear them talk about me again, don’t believe anything they say, Aghat.”

  A shadow ran across her face.

  “Don’t call me that,” she said quietly. “I’m not a Diamond anymore.”

  He reached forward and gently cupped her hand, closing her fingers over the black diamond token resting in her palm, so that the stone was no longer visible.

  “It’s a diamond,” he said, “no matter what the color. No one can change what you are. Never forget that, Aghat.”

  He sat for a moment, holding her hand between his. Then he dropped his hands away and got to his feet in a single fluid move.

  “Wait!” she called out.

  He paused looking down at her. His face was calm, but in the depths of his eyes was a strain. It stayed there for a brief moment and was gone, giving way to a smile.

  “If they send a Black Diamond after you,” she said quietly, “I’ll fight by your side.”

  He smiled and bowed his head in acknowledgment. Then he turned and walked away.

  Raishan was waiting a small distance away. As Mai walked past, he turned and fell into stride. They walked for a while in silence, Raishan’s eyes fixed on Mai’s face.

  “Something you wanted to say to me, Aghat Raishan?” Mai asked after a pause. There was an edge in his voice, but Raishan didn’t waver.

  “Yes,” he said.

  Mai stopped abruptly in his tracks and turned to face him. “Make it quick.”

  “It wasn’t a regular ‘viper’s kiss’, was it?” Raishan asked. “If it was, I should’ve been able to revive her myself. But I tried and it didn’t work.”

  Mai smiled. “I had a hard time with this one. It didn’t go exactly right. She’s too good a fighter to hit with a perfect blow.”

  Raishan nodded. “It took a hell of a lot of skill to do what you did, Aghat.”

  Mai didn’t respond.

  “Why did you put your life on the line for her, Aghat?” Raishan asked eventually.

  “I can’t imagine, Aghat Raishan, why it would possibly matter to you.”

  Raishan’s eyes narrowed. “It matters, Aghat Mai, because it closely concerns the affairs of our Guild. When Master Oden Lan asks me why I stood aside and did nothing when I learned about this violation of the Code, when he sends Black Diamonds after both of you and I will have to stay back and pray I’m not your shadow, I’d want to know why I had to do all these things. It’s best if you told me now, so I can be prepared.”

  “There will be no Black Diamond for her,” Mai said. “It’s already out.”

  “Yes,” Raishan agreed. “But yours isn’t. So, just this once, why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind, Aghat?”

  Mai met his gaze. There was a long pause. Raishan waited, a glow lighting up in the depths of his slanted gray eyes.

  “She’s the most amazing fighter I’ve ever seen,” Mai said at length. “Her life’s too precious. It wasn’t up to me to take it. And it’s not up to Aghat Oden Lan to decide her fate.”

  Raishan shook his head. “You know well that it’s not up to you to question the Guildmaster’s orders. You staked out your life – for her.”

  Mai looked away. “She’s barely nineteen. When I was her age, I wasn’t even ranked yet. None of us were. I had the best Jade they could find for the task. We fought against her, two to one, and she still came through and left a mark on me. In fact, she almost gave me a mortal wound. Her skill is incredible, Aghat. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before.” He paused and gave Raishan a long look. “I simply couldn’t do it,” he added quietly. “Her life’s more precious than mine.”

  Raishan studied his face. “Master Oden Lan feels very personally about this one. It won’t be long before he learns what you’ve done. It will be bad. For both of you.”

  “She has a way to make everyone feel personal about her, doesn’t she?”

  Raishan shook his head. “It’s a dangerous game to play. When I say personal, I mean it. I was there when he gave the order.”

  “I know how he feels about her,” Mai said quietly. “I was trained in the Inner Fortress. I was around when it started.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Mai smiled. “He never let her see it, of course, but he has felt this way since she was ten. By the time I left to join the Pentade, she was fifteen, and gorgeous. I can only imagine what it’s like for him now.”

  Raishan stared. “You knew, and you still disobeyed his order?”

  Mai shrugged. “I’m fairly sure he couldn’t possibly have been thinking straight when he gave it.”

  “I can’t presume to get into Master Oden Lan’s head,” Raishan said. “But one thing’s for certain. She was set up. This man, Nimos, went to a lot of trouble to make sure Kara abandoned her assignment an
d Master Oden Lan knew why. Nimos showed rare knowledge of the Majat Code and the Guildmaster’s character in getting it to work, which had to involve help on the inside. It worked exactly as he planned, too. Master Abib and I tried to stand up for her, but the Guildmaster wouldn’t even listen.”

  “Nimos.” A ruthless glow lit up in Mai’s eyes.

  Raishan nodded. “He played our Guildmaster like a well tuned lute.”

  “I think,” Mai said, “when Aghat Oden Lan learns what happened, he’ll be grateful to me.”

  “Perhaps. But he’ll never forgive you anyway.”

  Mai shrugged.

  “Then,” he said, “I’ll be the second Diamond in two hundred years to meet my shadow. But if worst comes to worst, I’ll die knowing I did the right thing.”

  45

  WAR COUNCIL

  It was getting dark when Kyth returned from the horse pasture to the Cha’ori camp. He paused at the edge, looking for Kara, but she was nowhere to be seen. As he was about to move deeper into the circle of tents, someone stepped out of the shadows and blocked his path.

  It was Dagmara. Her dark, strong face was calm, but her amber eyes gleamed in the light of the rising moon.

  “Come with me,” she said.

  Intrigued, Kyth followed her to a smaller tent set aside from the main camp. She raised the door curtain and led him inside.

  Two figures sat on the pillows around a small table in the center of the tent. One was Ayalla, her living dress covering her just below the shoulders, leaving her arms and the top of her breasts bare. When Kyth walked in, her dark blue eyes lit up with interest that made him feel uneasy. He looked away to her table companion.

  It was Egey Bashi. Or, Kyth thought it was.

  He stared.

  “What happened to your face?” he demanded, so surprised he forgot to be polite.

  Egey Bashi glanced at Ayalla.

  “You might want to ask your foster brother about it some day,” he said.

  Alder? Kyth’s eyebrows rose as he turned to the Forest Woman. She responded with an absentminded smile, the air of detachment around her cautioning against further questions. Kyth sat down, keeping clear of her spider dress.