by Anna Kashina
“It’s a joy to see you, Lord Garet,” Mai said. He too was smiling, piquing Kara’s curiosity. Mai must have been in his teens during his assignment for this lord, a boy young enough to be his son. What kind of a bond could these two possibly develop?
Lord Garet stepped back and ran another appraising glance at Mai. “A Guildmaster, eh? I always said you were destined for greatness. And, you’ve grown even more attractive, if you would forgive the old man for saying it.”
Mai laughed, and Kara was surprised to see his cheeks light up with a faint blush. More attractive? She felt more and more curious.
“Please accept my utmost gratitude, Lord Garet, for the help your men provided to me this morning,” Mai said. “Their service was exemplary.”
Lord Garet shook his head. “No trouble at all, Aghat Mai. I was glad to be of assistance in recovering your, um, missing companion.” His sharp eyes sought out Kara, and over all this distance she imagined she saw him wink.
She kept her face impassive, stepping away deeper into the crowd of the Majat as she watched Mai introduce Lord Garet to the rest of the command group. Kyth was watching the lord with a guarded expression that made her wonder. She assumed Lord Garet was a vassal to the crown, but here in the wilderness these loyalties seemed distant compared to the day-to-day reality. Was Kyth feeling threatened by the lord? She hoped not, yet she couldn’t blame the Prince for his insecurity. His main protection on this march came from the Majat, and the way he and Mai kept arguing every time she was around didn’t help at all.
The procession moved toward a large area set with logs and blankets around a large campfire. She slid between Lance and Raishan, doing her best to keep a low profile.
Mai settled into his seat with the ease that made the log he was sitting on seem as relaxing as a soft armchair. Lord Garet clearly did not share the same ability to blend into any surroundings. He winced as he shifted around to find a more comfortable spot, smiling with gratitude as one of Mai’s guards offered him a rolled-up blanket as an additional cushion.
“Forgive us for being unable to offer you the comforts you are accustomed to, my lord,” Mai said.
Lord Garet smiled. “Think nothing of it, Aghat Mai. Sharing the simple joys of a campsite meal surely brings back memories, eh?”
Mai’s smile mirrored the lord’s, his eyes gleaming with merry sparkles.
“I’ve heard of your current campaign against the Kaddim Brotherhood, Aghat Mai,” Lord Garet said.
Mai went still, a barely perceptible change that did not erase the easygoing smile from his face. Only those familiar with him could tell how surprised he was at this statement. “You have? How, if I may ask?”
“I have my sources.”
Mai glanced around the assembly. “I suppose we haven’t made a big secret of it. Everyone by now must have heard of our last battle. But I must say, I didn’t expect the news of our march to precede us.”
Lord Garet smiled. “Oh, they didn’t precede you, Aghat Mai. I made inquiries only this morning, after I received your request for help.”
“Still. Your sources must have been exceptionally well informed to make the connection so quickly.”
“Indeed they are. But I can give you my assurance that the news will spread no further than this gathering – unless you want it to, for any reason.”
“I appreciate it, Lord Garet,” Mai said. “In our march, we are not exactly counting on a surprise, but I prefer to be the one calling the shots.”
“Of course.” Lord Garet laughed. “Some things never change, do they?”
Mail laughed too, his look stirring up with the warmth of a shared memory. Kara hoped to be able to learn the story one day.
The food arrived, travel rations of smoked meat and dry flatbread creatively mixed with fresh vegetables and herbs that must have come from the local market. The apple brew served with the meal went to the head far too quickly, but Kara gulped it down anyway. With all the excitement of today she had managed to completely neglect food. And now, she devoured her meal as she listened to the conversation.
“Apart from the pleasure of seeing you again, Aghat Mai,” Lord Garet said, “my visit has another purpose. I’m here to offer you any help you need in your campaign.”
A smile briefly touched the corners of Mai’s mouth. “I am grateful for this, Lord Garet. But as a friend I must warn you that it’s not something to say lightly. Not to a Majat Guildmaster.”
“I would never say this lightly, Aghat Mai. Especially not to you.” Lord Garet pecked at a stem of basil on his plate, then put a strip of meat into his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. “I also harbor no illusions about the way my military force compares to yours. Being a realistic man, I will not insult you by offering my troops. I believe I have something better to offer.”
Mai looked at him with silent question.
“Perhaps you still remember from our prior acquaintance how I came by all my wealth?”
“Yes, I do,” Mai said slowly.
“The mine on my lands supplies no less than half of the kingdom’s Algarian-grade ore. Chances are, some of your Guild’s recent weapons are forged from the steel we produce. I know one could never have enough. So, here’s my offer. For this campaign, we’ll give you as much as you need.”
Mai lifted his head. “When you say ‘give’, you mean–”
“Give freely, without expecting anything in return.”
Mai hesitated. “This is a generous offer, Lord Garet. Especially after the favor you already did for me today.”
Lord Garet chuckled. “What happened this morning was nothing, really. No more than a small distraction for my men from the boredom of their daily patrolling duties.”
Mai held his gaze. “It was more than that, Lord Garet. Your men risked their lives. And, they also lost a horse.”
Lord Garet waved his hand dismissively. “Think nothing of it, Aghat Mai. It was my pleasure to help.”
“I appreciate it, Lord Garet,” Mai said. “And, as a friend, I feel obliged to tell you that your men’s help today meant more to me than you could possibly imagine.”
Once again, Lord Garet glanced at Kara with curiosity. This time, she didn’t try to hide as she returned his gaze. She felt dumbfounded. Mai had just publicly acknowledged that her return meant more to him than free supply of the Algarian-grade weapons, a resource some kingdoms would go to war over. She noticed Raishan’s smile, and Seldon’s deep frown, followed by a stir among the Diamonds that died out at Mai’s quick look.
Lord Garet observed the activity with amusement. “As I said, Aghat Mai, while the knowledge that my men’s service to you has been satisfactory fills me with joy beyond measure, it meant nothing to me. What you are setting out to do is far greater than simple favors like this. Besides, I would be an ungrateful man if I did not acknowledge that I owe you not only all my wealth, but also my life.”
“You owe me no gratitude, my lord,” Mai said. “You’ve paid for my services in full. The Majat Guild holds no debt to your name.”
The lord shifted in his seat, his face crinkling with laughter as he took a long swig of brew from his mug. “I’m sure you know, Aghat Mai, that some kinds of debt can never be repaid.”
“I wouldn’t say such a thing to a Majat Guildmaster, Lord Garet.”
“Just like the Majat Guildmaster probably should not have said all those things just now to a wealthy lord offering his help, Aghat Mai. It is good that we are talking merely as friends, isn’t it?”
Mai grinned as he glanced at Kara. She felt a warmth run down her spine as she met his gaze. He said all this for me. He wanted me, and everyone else listening, to know how much I mean to him. The fact that by making this confession he was also risking an offer of unimaginable wealth filled her with concern. Yet, Lord Garet’s reaction, his expression as he continued to look at her thoughtfully, told her that the nobleman understood this too, and that his offer wasn’t going to change because of Mai’s words. They were lucky to
have such an ally, and she knew that nearly everyone here – except Seldon, perhaps – trusted Mai to achieve the best in this conversation.
“Let’s get down to business, Aghat Mai,” Lord Garet said. “My sources informed me that while your own people are sufficiently outfitted, you are leading an allied force that may as yet grow in numbers and is significantly inferior to the Majat in weapons.”
“Among other things,” Mai said.
Lord Garet’s brisk nod looked very businesslike. “I feel fortunate to have resources at my disposal to supply them with top grade weapons, including Prince Kythar’s men and any new allies you may recruit on the way. If time permits, I will send a delivery wherever you need me to.”
Mai held his gaze. “This offer is more generous than a king’s, my lord.”
Lord Garet’s brief smile spoke of how pleased he felt. “Consider it a personal gift. You may, of course, keep the weapons after your army emerges victorious – as I expect will be the case.”
“I can only wish our enemies share the same expectations, my lord,” Mai said. “In fact, this type of thinking could save us all worlds of trouble.”
Lord Garet chuckled as he reached into his pocket and produced a folded parchment glinting with an elegantly engraved seal.
“If you use this paper to send your message, Aghat Mai, anyone on the western side of the Forestlands, from here to Bengaw, will follow your bidding.”
Mai reached over and took the parchment.
“I accept your generous offer, Lord Garet,” he said, “only because of the dire need to defeat the Kaddim as soon as we possibly can. I hope, when this is all over, we can repay you.”
The lord waved his hand in dismissal. “No need, Aghat Mai. I’m sure you’ve been hearing this a lot, but seeing you in charge of the Majat Guild for the first time in years puts my mind at ease. I cannot imagine a better man for the job.”
Mai’s lips twitched. “I hope I won’t disappoint anybody by the end of the campaign.”
He did not look at Kara this time, but his words sent her heart racing nonetheless. She was his weakness. Her predicament made him vulnerable and threatened their entire army. Dear Shal Addim, how did I get myself into such a mess?
“I have another piece of information to share with you,” Lord Garet said. “The southeastern border of my lands neighbors the Forestlands. For days now, my men have been speaking of unrest in the area.”
“Unrest?” Mai lifted his chin, his tense look making Kara wonder. Did he know something she didn’t about the Forestlands? Was this rural area part of his plans?
The answer came too easily, making her skin creep. The spiders. She felt a surge of panic, and then hope. If their path was going to take them near the Forestlands, the local spiders would surely detect the Kaddim’s magic on her, even if Alder’s spiders had somehow become desensitized. They would finish the job, even if she couldn’t do it herself. Won’t they?
“The trees are restless. Moving, if you know what I mean.” Lord Garet ran his eyes around the gathering, and Kara noticed how everyone sprang to alertness, confirming her guesses. They must have stakes on the Forestlands, part of the plans that were never shared with her before departure.
“My land’s borders,” Lord Garet went on, “have become much more densely overgrown in the last few days. Some of the trees look ancient, as if planted centuries ago, but we all know it not to be the case. So far they haven’t crossed any boundaries, but I know for a fact that if you ride south from here for about a day, you may find yourselves in some of the thickest woods you’ve ever imagined. I’m not sure how avoidable it is, but I hope this information may help you choose your best route.”
“Any suggestions, Lord Garet?” Mai asked.
“Depending on where you’re headed.”
“South.” Mai threw a tense glance at Kara.
I’m not supposed to hear any of this. She moved to rise, but he stopped her with a short gesture.
“I assume, further south than the Forestlands,” Lord Garet said.
“Yes.”
“I can offer you passage through my lands. Along with my hospitality, if you’re in need of it. But if my guesses about your destination are correct, this may take you too much out of your way.”
Mai chuckled. “You do seem to know a lot about our plans, my lord.”
“Only privately, Aghat Mai. I assure you, no enemies will learn of your plans from me.”
“What about your sources?”
“They’re loyal to House von Eyvern.”
Mai smiled, his eyes meeting Lord Garet’s with affection that spoke of the true friendship these men shared. “Good enough for me.”
Lord Garet rose to his feet. “Now that it’s all settled, I’m afraid I must take my leave. It has been a true pleasure, Guildmaster.”
“Likewise.” Mai rose too, exchanging a hearty handshake with the older man. “I hope some day I can find a way to repay your generosity.”
The lord patted him on the shoulder. “You will repay it by defeating the Kaddim, Aghat Mai. If they win, I stand to lose all my wealth. I cannot possibly afford it.”
“We’ll do our best,” Mai assured.
Kara kept her place between Lance and Raishan as she watched the lord mount his horse, with his suite gathering around him.
“I wonder what Aghat Mai’s assignment for Lord Garet was like, to merit all this,” Lance said quietly as he watched the guests depart.
He wasn’t looking at anyone in particular as he said this. Even though the same question was probably on everyone’s mind, no one should have felt obliged to answer. Yet, to Kara’s surprise, Seldon cleared his throat and spoke, equally matter-of-factly.
“I’m certain, Aghat Lance, you remember Aghat Mai’s signature blow, the viper’s sting.” He glanced at Kara. She felt an unpleasant tingle at her neck and forcibly kept herself from touching the spot. That fatal blow at the base of the throat resembled a very similar but harmless one, enabling Mai to fool the Guild into believing she was dead and averting her execution on orders of their previous Guildmaster. Like everyone in the Guild, she heard that inventing those blows made Mai instantly famous, right at the time he had received his Diamond ranking.
“It was during Lord Garet’s assignment that Aghat Mai first demonstrated it in action,” Seldon said. “Before that, no one believed it would actually work. Afterwards…” He spread his hands in a wordless gesture.
Many heads nodded. However, Kara still couldn’t quite understand it. Such things mattered only to the Majat. It was hard to imagine how Lord Garet’s friendship with Mai could have been sealed by something like this.
“I am not privy to all the details of that assignment,” Seldon went on, “but as I heard it, that blow enabled Aghat Mai to dispose of the man who kept these lands in terror and had a claim on Lord Garet’s entire estate, without losing any other lives. Von Eyverns do owe everything to this assignment, even if their gratitude should really be directed not at Aghat Mai personally, but at our whole Guild.”
Kara understood what he meant. The Majat Guild was the one who planned the assignments and selected the best warriors to match each job. Yet, in Lord Garet’s place, it was probably hard not to feel grateful personally to Mai for performing his assignment so well.
“Is it true that Aghat Mai was only eighteen at the time?” Lance asked.
“He was,” Seldon said. “One of the most troublesome young trainees we ever had at the Guild. The fact not known to many was that due to the unique nature of Lord Garet’s assignment, Aghat Mai was sent to fulfill it before he was officially ranked.”
“Before?” Lance stared, his surprise reflected in every face nearby.
“Yes. Aghat Mai’s youthful looks – as well as his, um, attractiveness – made him uniquely suited for the job. From what I heard, the warlord had a weakness for young boys, which proved to be the only way to gain access to his private chambers. I’m not privy to all the details, of course.”
She wondered why Seldon felt it necessary just now to divulge the details of an assignment not normally shared among the Majat. Was he trying to paint Mai differently from the way his men saw him?
Was this part of Seldon’s plan to discredit Mai’s command?
She needed to have a conversation with Seldon – and soon.
14
Under Guard
The Diamonds dissipated after Lord Garet’s departure, but Raishan stayed behind, stepping up to Kara with decisive finality. She guessed his discomfort by the way he averted his gaze, as if his presence here wasn’t entirely voluntary.
“Are you tasked with guarding me again, Aghat Raishan?” she asked.
Raishan nodded. “I’m afraid so, yes. By Aghat Mai’s orders it has to be a Diamond from now on, at all times. We all received a dire warning. Apparently, when they found you this morning, you put up a fight?”
She rubbed her sore arm, grateful for the long sleeves that hid the bruises. “I temporarily lost control of my actions, I’m afraid.”
“Apparently it took considerable effort to apprehend you.”
Two Diamonds. She swallowed. “When I woke up, they’d already subdued me. I don’t remember any of it.” Except the smell. She wrinkled her nose, the scent of milk of thorn lodged there seemingly permanently. The plant it came from looked so innocent. Who would know that its juice, when extracted in a correct way, would be so potent?
Raishan’s lips twitched. “Let’s hope nothing like this would be necessary again. My only intention is to stay out of your way as much as possible. Unless, of course, you’d rather I kept you company.”