by Anna Kashina
Mai leaned closer, his voice terrifyingly quiet. “Stay out of my way.”
Kyth lifted his chin. “Or what?”
More people crowded around them now, Ellah tugging at Kyth’s sleeve, looking at him with wide, worried eyes. “Kyth! Mai is right, I can decide for myself. I want to go with all of you.”
Kyth held Mai’s gaze a moment longer, then turned to the girl. “Don’t you see it? He is using you. He’s putting you into danger for no good reason.”
Ellah shook her head earnestly. “I’m grateful for your protection, but you are the one who is missing the point, Kyth. Mai is trying to win a war. We all are. And if my ability can be of use – even if only by putting Mai at ease in a difficult conversation he is facing – I will be glad to go. It’s my decision, Kyth, not yours.”
Kyth gave an exasperated sigh. Everyone was looking at him now, Mai with threat, everyone else with various degrees of surprise. He spotted Lady Celana at the back, watching him with the wonder that made his heart swell. He turned away from her before his eyes could linger any longer.
He knew that, tempers aside, Ellah was probably right. A lot in the upcoming conversation with Ayalla depended on Mai’s ability not to muck up, and the man needed all the help he could get, as far as Kyth was concerned. He hesitated, watching Alder approach, his foster brother’s face folded into a concerned frown.
“There’s no danger for Ellah,” Alder said with quiet certainty. “Ayalla would never harm her. She knows that we are friends, that Ellah has a gentle soul and a pure heart. You of all people should understand that, Kyth.”
Kyth gaped at the reproach in his foster brother’s voice. He could vouch for Ellah’s pure heart, but he wasn’t sure about her gentle soul at all. Ellah had a sharp tongue and wasn’t shy to express her opinion if anyone got on the wrong side of her. More than that, he did not know anything at all about Ayalla, except the fact that she commanded armies of deadly spiders and wielded magic beyond anyone’s comprehension. All this hardly made her seem any less dangerous or more trustworthy. He nodded nonetheless. Whatever he had to say didn’t matter right now. Besides, Kara’s life and safety likely depended on the outcome of this embassy, which made their time too precious to waste.
His gaze drifted to Mai, standing at the edge of the clearing beside Garnald. The Diamond’s face held a mix of anger and concern, but underneath them Kyth sensed a more complex mix. The guarded way Mai eyed Kyth was new, as if the Prince posed a previously unforeseen danger. And there was even more. Understanding? Respect? At the moment Kyth couldn’t care less. He stepped sideways, abruptly looking away.
He hoped Mai wouldn’t be asked to do much talking. He doubted the Forest Mother would tolerate his cockiness or cope with his constantly shifting moods. It seemed unfair that Mai was coming at all. The Majat Guild stood for everything Ayalla resented, and Mai was the leader of their force. If he and Ayalla could not agree, she would never help them – which meant that with the current turn of events they were likely, at best, to leave the forest empty-handed and rely on their own resources to defeat the Kaddim.
Mai strapped off his numerous weapons and handed them to Raishan before stepping up to Garnald’s side. Without his gear, he looked oddly vulnerable. Only by knowing him well could Kyth sense the tension building up inside, like a ball of flaming liquid ready to burst. He hoped nothing in Ayalla’s realm would trigger the explosion. Mai’s wrath could be terrifying, even in a one-on-one confrontation. And now, with the way his men’s obedience to him bordered on downright worship, things could easily get out of hand. No way of telling what a small Majat army could do, even when faced with the ancient might of the forest.
Rustles echoed around them as they stepped into the cool tree shade. Walking in Mai’s wake, Kyth did not realize at once that these sounds had nothing to do with the breeze, or the sound of their footsteps. The trees in front of them were parting way, opening a narrow path that closed behind them as soon as they passed through. When Kyth dared a glance back, he could see nothing but the dense forest thicket with no indication of the Majat camp behind.
He hoped they could leave this forest alive.
After about an hour of walking, the trees started to part wider. Kyth stretched his neck trying to see further ahead, but it seemed as if every time his eyes focused on something it shifted and became a wavering mass of branches and leaves. After a while he felt dizzy. He kept his eyes on Mai’s back instead, the only solid object in his direct view. The Majat’s black cloak with the gray and white embroidery of the diamond-set throwing star stood out like a beacon in the forest dimness. Up until now Kyth had always thought of black as the color that allowed one to blend in, assuming that the Majat favored it so that they could be inconspicuous if it came to an ambush. Now he realized this was far from true, leaving him to wonder if the Majat actually chose this color for flashiness and effect.
Absorbed in these thoughts he barely caught the moment when the trees in front of them opened like doors swinging ajar, letting their group into a large glade. Suffused light filtering through the leaves overhead made the giant space look like a cathedral, its walls lined evenly with tall tree trunks, its arched ceiling woven from intertwined branches. The trees behind them closed in as soon as they stepped through, leaving them trapped in the large space with no visible exit.
Mai shifted from foot to foot restlessly, his eyes darting around the dense tree line. “What now?”
“Now, we wait.” Garnald said.
“Of course,” Mai muttered under his breath. “What else?”
The wait did not last long before the trees on the other side parted again. A whirl of mist wafted through, pooling over the grass to form a small cloud. It took Kyth a moment to see the tall, slender woman walking inside it. Leaf-filtered sunlight briefly outlined her shape, then receded to play on the surface of the mist that folded around her densely, cladding her like an exquisitely tailored dress.
She stopped in front of the group and ran a slow glance over everyone in turn. “I know why you are here. All of you.” She paused her eyes on Alder, giving him a quick smile, then on Kyth, and finally on Magister Egey Bashi. She did not look at Mai at all. “You need my help to defeat the Kaddim.”
What about Kara? Kyth’s heart raced with worry. Given the invitation relayed by Garnald, he had expected Mai to be the target of the conversation, and Kara to be the first topic of the discussion. He supposed he should be feeling relieved that Ayalla came straight to the point of their entire campaign, even if it left too many open questions for his liking.
“We do,” Egey Bashi said. “Will you help?”
She regarded him calmly, her face showing no emotion at all. “It depends.”
“On what?”
“Many things. The offer I have for you is not the one you came to seek. But before I decide if it is even on the table, I must speak to your leader.” She finally turned to Mai. “Isn’t this what you consider yourself to be?”
Her eyes narrowed as she surveyed the Majat with a slow appraisal, as if deciding whether to kill him on the spot or give him a chance to speak. Her face contorted for a brief moment, making her look savage.
Mai seemed undisturbed as he kept her gaze. “Only when it comes to military operations.”
Her lips twitched. “A better answer than I expected from you. Come.”
“Where?”
“Does it matter?”
“I suppose not.” Mai glanced around their group before following her.
Kyth couldn’t tell for sure, but it seemed that despite his calm demeanor Mai was looking a bit deflated. And of course, separating him from the rest of the group meant that if the Majat messed up – a very likely possibility in Kyth’s mind – there would be no one around at all to come to his aid. Kyth tried to tell himself that it was Mai’s own grave to dig, but with Kara’s well-being on the line, with their campaign at risk, he just couldn’t feel convinced.
Ayalla paused again as she reached the
edge of the glade. “The rest of you should make yourselves comfortable. This may take a while. And you,” she turned back to Mai. “You were allowed to choose one person to accompany you. You may bring this person along.”
Mai turned to Ellah. “I have no idea what I am asking you to do, or how dangerous this is. Given this uncertainty, you should feel free to stay behind.” His smile was disarming, suddenly making him look very young. While this was probably pretense for Ellah’s sake, Kyth couldn’t help the worry steering up in his heart. He had no idea what awaited Mai, but he didn’t envy the Diamond for having to walk unaided into Ayalla’s lair.
Ellah showed no hesitation as she stepped forward to his side. “Of course I’ll come with you. If I cannot offer any help, at least I can be there for support.”
Ayalla’s eyes lit up with quiet interest. “The truthseer? Are you hoping she will detect if I am telling the truth?”
Mai eyed her levelly. “This was my original reason for choosing her, yes. I can now see that I was being naïve. Am I endangering her by asking her to come?”
“What if you are?”
“I will not let Ellah follow me into danger.”
Ayalla’s gaze became thoughtful. “Another good answer. We may yet be able to speak to each other, Majat. And no, Ellah will not face the kind of danger you are in. In fact, whatever happens to you, I promise to return her to her friends unharmed.”
She turned and stepped through the parting tree trunks onto a path ahead. Kyth marveled at the way Mai didn’t falter even for an instant as he followed. His own heart raced with worry as he watched Ellah stand still for a moment and then rush after them.
He supposed that Mai’s Diamond ranking had to come with this ability to make instant decisions to risk your life without even flinching. Yet, it had to be infinitely more frightening when it came to dealing with beings of Ayalla’s powers, especially after her explicit threats to Mai, and no one else in the group. The way Mai still followed her without any hesitation made Kyth see him in a new light. Despite all the resentment he felt, he knew this was one of the things for which he would always admire his rival.
19
Negotiation
Ellah followed Mai down the narrow forest path. Without his weapons, he looked vulnerable, stirring a deep compassion in her heart. She had to remind herself that this was a ruthless warrior who commanded an invincible army and was trained to kill with no more than a casual flick of a hand. But it also occurred to her that here in Ayalla’s realm Mai’s power and deadly skills were all but useless. Kara was no less ruthless or capable, yet Ayalla whisked her away without even raising an alarm.
When Mai singled Ellah out as the person he wanted to bring along into Ayalla’s realm, it took her by surprise. She rarely spoke to Mai at all, even if on the occasions they did he was usually friendly and courteous, at least when Kyth wasn’t around. Like most, she admired Mai for many of his qualities, even aside from his dazzling looks, but she was also aware of his other, frightening side that drove his deadly Majat skill. She also saw the way he and Kyth were always at odds, and she found their constant rivalry troublesome to say the least. It was as if the two men ignited the worst in each other, an effect greatly compounded by the fact that their complementary skills forced them to stay side by side all the time.
It felt almost like a comfort that in the upcoming meeting with Ayalla she had to play only a passive role, powerless to affect things in any way. She couldn’t even begin to understand the reasons that prompted Ayalla to take Mai away for a separate conversation, and she didn’t want to venture any guesses into what was going to come down when they reached the place they were headed for. She knew that Mai, used to being in charge and feeling powerful in every situation, must be lost here where he had no power at all. Whatever his reasons for choosing her to accompany him, she hoped she wouldn’t let him down.
Ayalla led them to a small clearing, with a small brook running on the other side, and gestured to two grass mounds fashioned like piles of soft cushions. Mai lowered onto one of them, natural as if he was sinking into a comfortable chair. Ellah followed suit, feeling far less graceful as she settled by his side.
Ayalla remained standing, looking like a teacher about to address a class.
“I am aware of your nature,” she said to Mai. “You kill. This is the only thing you know how to do, especially when driven to the edge. In this place, you will control yourself at all times – or die instantly.” She glanced into the shadows.
Ellah’s stomach clenched as she watched a group of large spiders emerge and form a circle around Mai, thankfully staying clear of her own seat. She marveled at the way Mai didn’t move a muscle. He must be scared, for surely even the Diamond Majat were not immune to fear, but he wasn’t showing it in any way.
She lifted her chin. Since she was, for whatever reason, included into this meeting, she couldn’t possibly sit quietly when she felt things were being unfair.
“With due respect, I don’t believe you are right about Mai, Lady Ayalla,” she said. “He knows a lot more than killing. He is a kind and compassionate man. In fact, even when he must kill, he always goes out of his way to spare as many lives as he possibly can. He is known for that, even among the Majat.”
She was aware how both Ayalla and Mai were staring at her in surprise. In fact, she felt surprised herself at the force with which she spoke these words. She knew this to be true. But under ordinary circumstances she would never be caught saying something like that.
Ayalla raised her eyebrows. “You feel the need to speak in his defense?”
Ella kept her gaze. “I am here because Mai asked me to come along. I see my part as speaking on his behalf in matters he would not talk about. And, what I said is true. You can ask anyone.”
She didn’t look at Mai as she spoke, but she could tell he was still staring at her. The spiders around him started to move, as if wondering if they should target Ellah too. But she did not care.
Ayalla turned to Mai. “Did she speak the truth?”
Mai shrugged. “This is the first time anyone ever asked me to make this kind of a call on a truthseer.”
Ayalla’s eyes narrowed. “If you avoid my questions, it won’t go well for you, Majat.”
Mai went still as the spiders around him raised their legs threateningly. “Yes, Lady Ayalla. To the best of my knowledge, Ellah believes what she said. Beyond that, I cannot attest to the truth of her words. I never thought of myself as kind or compassionate. Our training greatly discourages these qualities. But it’s true that I do try to spare lives whenever I can – not that it is of any relevance here.”
Ayalla’s lips twitched. “If you really believe so, it is fortunate that you brought your friend along.”
“Yes, indeed.” Mai shot Ellah a quick smile. He was holding very still, as if not to disturb the spiders. The thought that he might die in agony in front of her eyes if he made a wrong move made her feel nauseated.
“Are the spiders really necessary, Lady Ayalla?” Ellah asked.
The Forest Woman surveyed her with a thoughtful glance. “You are an impressionable young thing, far too innocent and kind to keep company with the likes of him. Have you fallen for his charms?”
Ellah’s cheeks warmed up with a blush. “No. I mean, not in that way.” Well, perhaps a little bit in that way, but she was damned if she was going to admit it. She hoped that one day she may earn the right to call Mai a friend. But with the way Mai looked at Kara she knew how utterly unavailable he was for any other kind of relationship.
“Very well then,” Ayalla said. “On with our conversation.” She turned to Mai. “My spiders can sense fear. They can also sense lies – just like your friend here. So, you must pay very close attention to what you say.”
“Is Kara all right?” Mai asked.
Ayalla’s eyes flared. “I will be the one asking questions.”
Mai receded slightly, and once again Ellah felt a pang of pity at how defenseless he l
ooked. Yet, even in his trapped state he exuded a sense of power. She hoped he could pass Ayalla’s test, whatever the Forest Woman had in store for him.
“I am aware,” Ayalla said, “that in your war with the Kaddim my spiders have become an important tool that can help you achieve your victory.”
“Yes. Even though it was never part of my plan to ask you for this in person.”
“Why?”
Mai briefly glanced at the spiders. “I am aware how… incompatible we are.”
“And yet, you hope for my help?”
Mai shook his head. “Not I, personally. The Kaddim threaten everyone. The only reason I’m in charge is that, like it or not, the Majat have been the only force able to resist them so far – apart from your spiders.”
She held still for a moment, then slowly inclined her head. “You show no fear when you speak to me. At least, my spiders don’t sense any.”
“I have nothing to fear from you, Lady Ayalla,” Mai said. “If you choose to kill me, I can hardly do anything about it. Being afraid won’t help, would it?”
“Not many would say this when facing certain death.”
“Probably not. But I don’t believe I’m facing certain death either. Am I?”
“If you make a wrong move.”
He smiled. “In this case I just have to make sure I don’t.”
She folded her arms over her chest, the movement disturbing the mists around her to briefly bare her shoulders. “So, why do you think I should help you, Majat?”
“Because I hope our goals are aligned, even if our ways may be different. This is what alliances are all about.”
“Last time I heard, the Majat Guild didn’t form alliances at all.”
“Not the ones that are ever recorded in written history, no.”
“What makes you think our goals are aligned?” Ayalla asked.
“Don’t you want to see the Kaddim destroyed?”
Ayalla spread her hands. “The Kaddim cannot reach me here. As for whatever goes on outside my realm, it’s none of my concern.”