“I’ve never worn the colour of Torin,” I told Tavah, following her down the narrow corridor. I didn’t think it was appropriate for a lady to wear the colour of the god of blood and war.
“It’s Khadji’s favourite colour,” she said, staring straight ahead as our footsteps echoed off the walls of the corridor.
Of course it is.
We came to a set of double doors. Tavah knocked twice, and the doors swung open. She gently pushed me into the room and left, closing the doors behind her.
I examined the room before me. I’d never seen such beauty inside a room. It left me speechless. The walls and ceiling of the circular room were white and decorated with gold filigree. In the center of the room, a square table sat draped in red linen. Above the table, a golden chandelier hung, holding enough candles to illuminate the entire room.
I spotted Hepbar sitting in one of the high backed chairs. The candlelight cast shadows over his thin, yellowy face, making him appear sickly. Next to him, a young woman sat. Her black hair was woven up in fancy braids, showing off her slender neck. She narrowed her amber eyes at me.
Hepbar followed her gaze. “Ah, Malyi, there you are. Please, sit.” He pointed to the empty chair across from him.
I took my seat beside an elderly woman with straight, steely grey hair and brown, leathery skin. I adjusted the front of my dress to ensure no one would catch a glimpse of something I didn’t want them to.
At the head of the table, to my other side, a burly man crossed his arms and stared at me with dark eyes. He wore his long, dark hair in tiny braids. A red and black leather vest covered his chest but showed off his tattooed arms. I spotted the marks of every god and goddess etched on his skin. A golden hoop caught the candlelight from his right ear. I knew without being introduced that this man was Khadji.
I found myself staring back into eyes that were so dark they were almost black. This was the man whose children I was expected to bear. I hadn’t let that thought sink in until now. I felt a sense of impending doom as I looked into eyes that held no kindness.
Hepbar cleared his throat. I tore my attention away from Khadji and fixed it on the table before me.
“Master, this is Malyi Laylita from the island Nehmal. She’s chosen to come here to be yours,” Hepbar lied to his leader with confidence.
I cringed inwardly but managed to put on a fake smile and bow my head at my master.
“Nehmal…isn’t that one of the tiny, insignificant islands to the north?” The middle aged woman beside him spoke up. I could tell by her tone, she was being facetious.
Hepbar put his hand over hers, but kept his eyes on Khadji. “It is small, indeed. Regardless, Malyi is very well off. She was born into a family with an abundance of gold.”
I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from laughing. If only that were true, but then again, I wouldn’t be sitting here then, I thought.
“Malyi, this is my daughter, Veniece,” Hepbar explained, squeezing her hand before letting it go.
I smiled at her, but she shot me a look that could freeze the world, so I turned my eyes away from her and forced my expression into a neutral one.
“And I’m Nenet, Khadji’s mother. I’m pleased you’re here,” the elderly woman beside me spoke up in a voice grown rough with age.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Nenet.”
Khadji still hadn’t spoken a word. His silence made me uncomfortable. I wanted to ask him something to break the ice, but before I could think of anything, servants dressed in white and gold entered with trays of hot food. The plate placed before me steamed and smelled of flavourful spices. My mouth watered, but no one else had begun to eat. So I waited.
Once the servants disappeared from the room, Khadji picked up his gold fork and said, “Eat.”
So he does speak.
Hepbar made comments about growing Gwon’s army in-between bites. Khadji gave him short one word answers. Veniece added her opinion into the conversation a few times. Nenet ate silently beside me, listening to her companions. I was completely forgotten as the conversation turned to one of tactics about overthrowing another one of the independent islands.
Maybe I didn’t need to worry about giving Khadji children. Maybe he’d decided he didn’t approve of me and had already forgotten my meaningless existence.
His next words shattered my hopes.
He pushed his plate away and downed the rest of his wine. “You come with me,” he stated, taking my skinny wrist in his big hand.
I opened my mouth to protest, but what could I say? I couldn’t refuse him. I’d agreed to this. I wished I’d finished my own wine, but I didn’t even have time to say good evening to the others before I was pulled from the room.
We entered a bedroom of red and gold. The bed at the center of the room had golden posts and was covered in crimson silk. A thin, black veil hung from its canopy. On the stone floor, lay a thick, black carpet bordered with gold designs.
Khadji let me go and lit a couple of lamps on the tables beside the bed. The musky scent of recently burned incense lingered in the air.
I stood rigidly in a corner, unsure what to do with myself.
“My advisor tells me you are pleased to come and be with me.” His voice was deep, and like his eyes, held no kindness.
“Your advisor?”
“Hepbar.” He scowled at me as though I should already know this bit of information.
“Ah, yes. Well—he’s right. You are, after all, the most powerful man in all the islands,” I said, moving closer to him. Maybe flattery would work to my advantage.
“They’ve began to call me the Emperor of the Islands,” he replied, puffing out his chest. He thought highly of himself.
He stood as still as a rock. I approached him, hesitantly reaching for his arm and trailing my fingers down it.
He peered down at my hand.
I repeated in my mind, this is for your parents’ sakes. This is for your parents’ sakes.
He wasn’t hard on the eyes. His body was hardened from all the battles he’d led since becoming leader. He appeared a bit older than I, but not so old that he was rendered unattractive by time. His personality was what turned me off. If he had a heart, it was made of stone.
His dark, bushy brows drew upwards as I leaned in and kissed his cheek.
I managed a shy smile, and he seemed to finally remember his own hands. His big palms slid down my waist and cupped my buttocks. I forced myself not to scream or runaway. Stay in control. Don’t let him take charge. “Sit on the bed,” I ordered in a thick voice.
Shockingly, he complied.
I slowly began swaying my hips to a silent beat, moving my own hands down my waist in the same rhythm.
“Take off the dress,” he commanded in a husky voice.
“Ah-ah. Not just yet, Your Greatness.” I held up a finger.
I knew in my gut if I let him take charge, things would go very poorly for me.
When I was just out of his reach, I started to peel the scarlet dress off, careful not to rush.
His eyes travelled the length of my body. Now unclothed, I focused on breathing slowly and stepped towards him… and then I lost control.
He pulled me onto the bed with him, undid his trousers and took me fast and hard.
I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to pretend he was Jehvad. I failed. Jehvad was slow and gentle. Nothing about these two men was the same.
Thank the gods, it was over quickly. Khadji collapsed onto his back on the bed. I lay still, feelings of self-pity creeping up on me.
“You’re room is across the hall,” he muttered quietly.
I sat up, holding the blanket to my chest. That was it? He was done with me?
“Out!” He sat up and pointed at the door.
“Yes—sorry.” I swiftly slipped back into my dress, grabbed my sandals and rushed out of the bedroom.
“Malyi,” a feminine voice came from down the corridor.
I halted. “Yes?”
; A hunched over woman hobbled out of the shadows. I realized it was Nenet, Khadji’s mother.
“May we speak?” She tilted her head towards the room that was to be mine.
“…Alright.”
She grabbed a torch off the wall and followed me through the door. She used the fire from the torch to light a few candles around the chilly bedroom so we could see one another.
This room was mostly red too, though the shade was more of a deep burgundy instead of the crimson of Khadji’s room. The bed covered in black and white pillows and blankets had iron posts and no canopy.
I waited for Nenet to speak. I had no idea what she wanted. I found a brush and began undoing my messed up hair.
She came and stood beside me, using a stick to hold herself up. “You don’t want to bear my son’s children.” It was a statement, not a question.
I stopped brushing and gaped at her. I was trying to decide on an answer. I couldn’t trust her to tell her the truth.
“You cannot fool me. You were like a scared little girl when you came to dine with us. I don’t blame you. I would be too, if I were in your position.”
“To have Khadji’s children will give me power,” I said with more conviction than I felt.
“I know my son. You’ll have no power.”
“Perhaps, he’ll grow to love me.” Even if I never love him.
“Listen. I know you don’t trust me, but we can help each other. I don’t agree with how my son’s running this island. I don’t want his line to continue. I must put a stop to his reign of terror. If it’s the last thing I do.”
I frowned at her. “You would go against your own son? He’s brought great fortune to our island.”
Her milky brown eyes fixed on me. “Our island. Exactly.”
I realized my mistake and quickly fumbled for an excuse, but she cut me off.
“Don’t worry. Your secret’s safe with me. Now, while I’d never murder my own son, I can prevent him from passing his ways down to an heir of his own. He will grow old and die—or fall in battle. Someone new will take his position. As long as Khadji’s in power, there will never be peace. He’s devoted to Torin above all others.”
I took in her words before answering. “And what would you have me do?”
She mindlessly tapped her walking stick on the floor. “I’ve found a potion which makes a woman barren when consumed. I’ll bring it to you in the morning if you’ll agree to drink it.”
I contemplated her offer. If I never became pregnant, Khadji wouldn’t know it was my doing. He could still grow angry with my inability to bear him children, but maybe he’d toss me out. Jehvad would surely be here soon, and then we could leave this place together. I prayed to the gods he would come and find me, but if he didn’t… did I really want to birth the next cruel leader? The answer was no. “Okay, I’ll drink it. You better not poison me,” I added.
She chuckled softly. “If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead already.”
Those words kept me up half the night. I was living with dangerous people.
Chapter 4
I was startled the next morning when the first thing I saw was Nenet’s face beside my bed. She’d pulled up the stool I had sat on to brush my hair the previous night.
“Don’t look so alarmed, dear. I told you I’d bring you your morning meal,” she cooed, passing me a tray with warm spiced cake, fresh fruit, and a cup of tea.
I took a bite of the cake and sank back into my pillow. It tasted delightful! Once I was finished eating, I picked up the cup and sipped it. I spat when the bitter taste of the cold liquid touched my tongue. “Oh! That’s not tea! That’s awful! What is that?”
“It’s called khaviss…made from the khavi plant. I discovered its abilities when I was a healer, before I came to this town. It was used to cure ailments sometimes caused by lying with another person. It did do what was expected, but I noticed the women who drank it were also unable to get pregnant for a time.”
I held my breath and downed the liquid in two swallows. It reminded me of wine, only thicker—and bitter. I set the cup back on the tray, my eyes watering. “And Khadji, he doesn’t know of this—this—khaviss?”
She shook her head and took the tray from me. “No, no one but me knows of its secret effect. I gave it to a lot of people before I realized what it did. I’d be executed for interfering with the goddess of fertility’s will if anyone ever found out. So, please, keep this between us.” She put a crooked finger to her lips.
She was right. Bati, the goddess of growth and fertility, wouldn’t approve of such a potion. I hoped she wouldn’t bring her wrath down on me for drinking it. “We both know one of each other’s secrets now. How often should I drink this?”
“I’ve placed a bottle in the bottom of the chest of clothing Tavah is to bring you today. Drink it once every three days. That will ensure you stay barren.” She rose to leave, using her stick to push her stiff body up.
I caught her hand. “Thank you.”
She shrugged my gratitude off. “Just drink the khaviss. And be careful.”
“I will.”
Tavah and the two women who’d brought the water for my bath carried a wooden chest into my room. After setting the chest down against a wall, the two women left us.
“I’ve gathered some clothing for you to keep,” Tavah told me.
I wondered if she knew about the khaviss. I assumed she didn’t, so I didn’t mention it. “Thank you, Tavah.”
“It’s my duty to serve the ladies of this fortress.” That meant she must also be in service to Veniece. I’d have to watch what I said around her. I definitely didn’t trust Veniece.
I noticed her eyes were a shade of dark green; a strange colour for an island woman. Her skin was also a lighter shade of beige.
“Where are you from?” I asked, cocking my head to the side. It was a bold question, but I was curious.
She didn’t seem to mind my curiosity. “I’m from one of the other islands, but my papa was from a place called Sarantoa. Mama met him when she travelled there with one of King Sahyied’s ladies. I’ve never met him myself. He stayed there, she came home.” Her mind trailed off to some distant thought.
“I’m sorry for that.” I touched her arm.
She flinched, turning her face up to me. “Don’t be. You cannot miss someone you’ve never met.”
I tried to imagine never meeting my own papa. I’d always wonder what he was like… what kind of person he was. “Still…”
She didn’t respond so I asked, “Your mama was in service to one of the late king’s ladies, you say? What happened when Khadji assassinated him?”
Tavah wrung her small hands together. My questions were making her uncomfortable. Most people didn’t care about a servant’s past. “She retired. I offered to work for Khadji and send her coin. She was getting too old to do her job. We always knew I’d take her position someday.”
“She’s lucky to have you as her daughter.” I would’ve done as much for my own mama. I had done as much.
“Thank you, mistress.”
“Please, just call me Malyi.” I wasn’t used to such formalities. I didn’t like them.
“I’m not sure that’s appropriate. You’re playing the role of someone important here.”
“I won’t tell anyone.”
She let out an exasperated sigh. I was putting her in a tough position.
I gave in. “Fine, call me what you like.”
She perked up at my submission. “We should get you dressed. It’s nearly midday.”
“Yes, alright.”
I let the blanket I’d had wrapped around me fall off my naked body and went to open the chest, careful not to let her see in case the khaviss was visible. It wasn’t, but my hand touched something cold and hard when I reached down to the bottom… glass. I pulled out a bright turquois dress. “How about this one?”
“A good choice, mistress,” she said plainly, coming to help me into it.
I didn’t know
if I’d ever get used to this kind of treatment.
The dress was less revealing than the red one, but the sleek, tight material still showed off the curves of my body. I decided to wear the golden bracelets from the night before. I liked the way they jingled and sparkled around my wrists.
I wasn’t needed elsewhere that day, so I explored the fortress. Parts of the building were lifeless and abandoned. I assumed they would eventually be decorated in red and gold like the rest of the place. As Tavah had said, Khadji’s favourite colour was red. He obviously loves his gold too, I thought, running my fingers over one of the many gold framed paintings lining the room I stood in.
The Mark of Motish (An Elemental Diaries Side Story) Page 3