She turned on the Lady. “Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you let me choose more than one object?”
The Lady shrugged one shoulder. “I was bored. You try living through four hundred years of peace.”
“You were bored? So what now? You just sit back and enjoy the show as we all die?”
The darkness that lurked underneath the Lady’s beauty surfaced for a moment in her silvery eyes as she smiled.
K’lrsa turned away from her in disgust.
“Vedhe? What can we do? Can we neutralize one of the objects? Can you burn the necklace with the sun orb maybe?”
Vedhe shook her head. “No. It’s too late now. As soon as you left the room the balance shifted. All we can do now is confront Aran before it’s too late.”
K’lrsa buried her face in her hands. This couldn’t be happening. Why hadn’t anyone warned her? Why had the Lady let her do it?
And what would a man like Aran do with that kind of power? How many were going to die because of her mistake?
Chapter 48
As K’lrsa and Vedhe walked back to where they’d left the others, K’lrsa couldn’t help but fiddle with the pouch at her waist where the vial with the moon power was stored. She hadn’t told Vedhe about it because if she had to use it against her she didn’t want her to know. But if just keeping the necklace had shifted the balance that much…
What had taking the moon power done?
K’lrsa swallowed heavily. She didn’t want to know, but was scared she was going to find out at the worst possible moment.
“You can give the necklace to Badru,” Vedhe said, walking along beside her, trailing her fingers along the walls.
“The Lady said we can’t let anyone use the objects.”
“Luden already used your necklace. And F’lia used my viewing tube. Clearly you won’t be struck down by lightning if you do it.”
“No…But I wonder if what happened with F’lia and the baby might have been caused by it?”
Vedhe shrugged. “Doubt it. And even if it did, it didn’t kill her. Better to deal with the consequences later than let Aran win.”
K’lrsa nodded. Vedhe was right. But if Badru was going to use any of the objects he needed to use the moon power, not the necklace. Of course, if she was going to keep what she’d done secret from Vedhe, then she’d need to give both to Badru to keep her from being suspicious.
And then trust that he’d use them the right way and wouldn’t stop Vedhe before she destroyed the Toreem Daliphate.
Her stomach clenched at the thought of giving up an object that powerful. Even to the man she loved.
She’d missed him and wanted him in her life. And she knew he loved her and that she loved him. But…
Trusting him with that kind of power…
Trusting anyone with that kind of power. She wasn’t sure she could do it.
She shook her head. What a fool she was. She’d trust him with her life and her happiness, but she wasn’t willing to give him the moon power.
She sighed.
She didn’t want to do it, but she had to. Didn’t she?
There wasn’t another option.
If Aran had enough power to defeat all the objects combined, then Badru had to be a part of their plans. Which meant telling Vedhe about what she’d done.
She glanced sideways at her friend, licking her lips nervously. How do you tell someone who has come to be a friend that you didn’t trust them not to burn the world down so you probably did something that would break the world anyway?
“What?” Vedhe nudged her arm. “Are you okay? You’re looking at me funny.”
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Just…worried, is all. I wonder what kind of weapon they’ll give Aran to balance out ours. Do you think it’ll be one weapon? Wouldn’t it make more sense for it to be multiple weapons?”
Vedhe shrugged one shoulder. “It would if there were multiple people on their side who were standing against us. But from everything I’ve heard about Aran, he doesn’t share his power. He’ll want all of it for himself. Which means one weapon powerful enough to stand against all of ours.”
They walked along for a moment in silence before K’lrsa asked, “Why do you think the gods allowed this? If we hadn’t taken those weapons out, then none of this would be happening.” She barely stopped herself from mentioning how the Lady had almost encouraged her to take all three objects.
Even though she didn’t mention it to Vedhe, it did niggle at her mind. There was something she was missing.
“Who knows why the gods do anything? Why did my gods let Ivan kill my family and sell me into slavery? Why did one of your gods give me Kriger? They aren’t human, you know. As much as they look like us.”
K’lrsa grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop, looking back to make sure the gods weren’t nearby. “What are they? Do you know?”
Vedhe shook her head. “No. I’ve sifted through all the knowledge I received, but it isn’t there. Neither is anything about the nature of the place we go after this one. It’s like there are these paths I can follow, but when I get to a certain point they just end abruptly. Like walking off a cliff. Everything past that point is missing.”
K’lrsa wanted to ask more, but Vedhe continued walking and they reached the room with the others in it before she could think of anything more to say.
Herin met them at the doorway. She took one look at the staff in K’lrsa’s hand and gave a sharp nod. “About time you started thinking like someone who wants to actually win.”
K’lrsa winced. “Glad I could please you, Herin.” She met her father’s eyes. “But I’d like a little time alone with my parents if you don’t mind.”
Herin harrumphed but turned her attention to Vedhe without further comment.
As the others gathered around to see the sun orb, K’lrsa pulled her mom and dad to the side. “I need your advice. Come with me.”
She led them to a far corner, behind a stand of trees, hoping it was far enough away that no one else would be able to hear them.
If anyone could tell her how to fix things, it would be her parents…
She hoped.
Chapter 49
“What is it?” Her father peered into her face, his brow wrinkled in concern.
K’lrsa bit her lip and glanced back towards the others. “I made a mistake.”
“What did you do?” Her mother stepped closer, arms crossed. “I don’t want to be trapped here for eternity.”
“V’na.” Her father’s voice was stern as he pulled his wife back. “I already told K’lrsa that I’d rather stay here forever than see her act against everything I taught her.”
“Everything you taught her? What do we owe the people of the Daliphana, B’nin? What have they ever done but try to exploit us?”
“V’na. They’re people, too. Don’t they deserve to live their lives in peace?”
Her mother snorted.
“You won’t be trapped here. I promise.”
“Do you? Is that a promise you can keep?” Her mother stepped closer, staring her down, and K’lrsa had to avert her gaze.
For a brief moment she almost wished Father Sun hadn’t cured her parents. At least, not her mother.
“I’d do anything to save you. And…” She glanced towards where Vedhe and the others had been a moment before. They must’ve moved to the fire. “If I can’t bring myself to do it, I’m sure Vedhe will. I don’t think the gods care as long as it happens.”
Her mother nodded once, satisfied.
Her father studied her, the questions he wanted to ask written on his face, but he kept silent.
K’lrsa twisted her hands together, feeling like she was M’lara’s age and trying to work up the courage to explain how she’d let a prized horse lame itself. “There’s something else, though. Something happened in there.”
Her father touched her arm, his eyes warm with concern, and it almost broke her. “What?” he asked.
“I…When I was in there, I wa
s given two choices. This staff and the power of the moon.”
“And?”
Her parents both watched her, waiting.
“And I chose…” She glanced towards where the others had disappeared but didn’t see anyone. She dropped her voice anyway. “I chose them both. And I kept the necklace.”
Her mother nodded. “Good. You’ll need every weapon you can find.”
“No, it’s not good. There’s…Vedhe can explain it better…There’s a balance that has to be maintained. And by taking both weapons, as well as keeping the necklace, I upset that balance. It may mean that Aran’s gods can now give him enough power to defeat us.”
Her father patted her arm. “I wouldn’t worry about it. Like you said. There has to be balance. So he won’t be given any more power than you have.”
“But I can only use one of the objects at a time. And his gods may give him one weapon that can match all of ours.”
He shrugged. “So give Badru one of the weapons.”
“Even if I do that, we’re still short one person. And…” She grimaced. “Vedhe doesn’t know I took the moon power. And I don’t want her to.”
“Why not?” Her mother asked.
“Because I may need to use it against her if she turns on the tribes.”
“Why would she do that? She’s your friend.”
“I know. But you haven’t seen the way she looks when she holds that sun orb. Or some of the things she’s said. Mom…she’s…not right.”
Her mother shook her head, dismissing K’lrsa’s concerns. “I’ll admit, I didn’t like the girl at first, but I never saw anything like that in her. And I spent as much time around her as you have. You need to learn to trust people, K’lrsa. You’re too used to doing things by yourself, that’s all.”
K’lrsa looked to her father, hoping he’d give different advice, but he nodded. “Your mother’s right. You need to trust others. Or you’re going to lose.”
“You don’t know that…”
M’lara burst out of the trees behind them. “Come on. It’s time for dinner. You should see all the food. This place is the best.” She turned and ran back towards the campfire.
K’lrsa looked back and forth between her parents. “You can’t tell anyone what I told you, okay? Not yet.”
They both frowned at her, but at least they didn’t argue as they walked back to join the others.
There was more food than K’lrsa had ever seen—even in Toreem—spread out for them to eat. Every single dish she’d ever tasted and then some. It smelled delicious, especially since K’lrsa hadn’t eaten all day.
As she took a seat next to Vedhe and started to eat, she felt a small stab of guilt that she was keeping something so important from her friend. But as they ate and talked and laughed, Vedhe’s hand kept drifting towards the pouch where she’d stashed the sun orb, like she couldn’t stand to be parted from it.
And her eyes had a distant look, like she was once more staring into a world no one else could see.
Watching her, K’lrsa knew she’d made the right choice. Both in taking the moon power and in keeping it a secret from Vedhe.
The only question that remained was, should she tell Badru?
Chapter 50
After the meal, K’lrsa went to rest. No point in leaving until the moon had risen and the horses could fly. (Even though it seemed to always be daytime in the city, she knew that it was still midday in the real world.)
She intended to close her eyes for a moment and relax, but as soon as she lay down she fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. It was one of the best sleeps she’d had in a long, long while and she woke up completely refreshed.
A new set of riding leathers was waiting for her, folded next to her sleeping pallet. She stripped out of her old clothes, throwing them in a pile in the corner, and carefully removed the necklace, setting it next to her belt pouch before she went to take a bath.
She’d acquired a taste for baths in Toreem and as she sank into the perfectly hot water, she luxuriated at the feel of it against her skin, soothing away the last bits of tension as she sank in up to her chin, inhaling the scents of lavender and eucalyptus.
She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the edge of the tall bathing tub, trying not to think of anything. Soon enough she’d have to make choices she didn’t want to make. For now she just wanted to relax and enjoy the moment.
A scuffling noise from the direction of her tent interrupted her reverie and she sat up, scared that maybe Vedhe was trying to steal the staff.
“Who’s there?” she demanded.
“It’s just me.” M’lara came to stand outside the bathing tent so K’lrsa could see her. She had her hands clasped behind her back and wouldn’t quite look at K’lrsa.
“Were you in my tent?”
“I wanted to see if you were up yet.”
K’lrsa watched her with narrowed eyes. Something was off, but she didn’t know what.
Sighing, she climbed out of the tub and grabbed a cloth to dry herself—pausing for a brief moment to appreciate how soft and supple it was, just like the ones she remembered from the Daliphana.
As K’lrsa dried herself off, M’lara came to lean against the side of the tub. “I want to go with you.”
“You can’t. You’re too young.”
M’lara thrust her lower lip out in a pout. “But you need another person. I can use the necklace and you can give Badru the moon power.”
She whirled around, staring at M’lara. “What did you just say? How did you know about the moon power?”
“I heard you talking to Mom and Dad.” M’lara glanced at her and away again, her jaw was set.
“You know better than to eavesdrop like that!”
“But nobody tells me anything. They think I’m just a child.”
“You are.”
“Am not. I can take care of myself.” Her brow furrowed and she looked ready to cry.
“M’lara. You’re not even nine summers old yet. You are not ready to face a man like Aran. I’m not ready to. None of us are. He’s horrible.”
M’lara lifted her chin with a sniffle. “You said you need someone else. Who else is there?”
K’lrsa opened her mouth and then shut it again. She sighed. “The necklace won’t make a difference. And I refuse to put you in danger like that.”
“Vedhe thinks it could. She was explaining to me about the balance. She actually thinks the necklace may be the key. That’s why she’s glad you’re going to meet up with Badru before you go after Aran.”
“Did you tell her about the moon power?” K’lrsa glared at her sister.
If she had…
“No. I can keep a secret.”
“Good.” K’lrsa finished drying herself off and set the towel aside. “M’lara…”
“Don’t. It’s not fair. I can help you.”
“You’re too young.”
M’lara backed away, tears in her eyes. “No, I’m not. And I’m going. Whether you want me there or not.”
She held out her fist, the necklace chain dangling from between her fingers.
“M’lara! That isn’t yours. Give it back.” K’lrsa lunged for her, but M’lara was gone.
She’d used the necklace.
Didn’t she realize how dangerous it was? Even now she could be a tangled mess of bones and muscle, already dead. Or coughing blood. Or unable to breathe, alone in the desert somewhere…
What had she done?
K’lrsa collapsed to her knees, unable to breathe.
Chapter 51
K’lrsa threw on her new hunting leathers as she shouted for her parents.
Her father came running, her mother close on his heels. “What? What is it?”
“M’lara. She took the necklace. She wanted me to take her with us and when I refused, she used it. I don’t know where she is.”
“We’ll find her. She can’t have gone far.”
K’lrsa nodded, but she wasn’t so sure of that.
Her father wrapped an arm around her mother’s shoulders as they leaned into one another for support. “She’s gone.”
K’lrsa nodded, trembling with fear as she imagined where M’lara might be now. “Lady Moon!” she shouted, unable to contain her fury and desperation. “Where are you? We need you. Now!”
The Lady glided into the room, gorgeous as always, her face slowly shifting between the young maiden, the matron, and the crone as it did when she appeared in the moon dream.
“You called?” Her voice was like silk and steel entwined, soft but lethal.
K’lrsa didn’t flinch. “My sister is gone. She used the necklace. Where is she?”
The Lady looked into the distance for a long moment. “Hm. Clever girl.”
“Where is she?”
“Moving across the desert. She’s already left the city.”
“Is she hurt?” K’lrsa’s voice shook.
“No. She’s moving in small little hops. Seems she paid more attention to how the necklace works than you did.” The Lady’s smile was sharp with cruelty
K’lrsa didn’t care. All that mattered was getting M’lara back safely. “Where is she headed?”
The Lady shrugged one shoulder. “Shelter, if I had to guess. Right now she’s just hopping from sand dune to sand dune. I assume eventually she’ll either stop to wait for you. Or…” She nodded to herself as she looked into the distance again. “Find Badru.”
“Bring her back.” K’lrsa balled her hands into fists. “Now.”
The Lady half-laughed. “No.”
“She’s just a child.”
“Seems fine to me.”
K’lrsa glanced in the direction of the tent where she’d left the staff. Could she use it to force the Lady to help? She knew the Lady was scared of the power it contained, but she didn’t know why she was scared of it.
Rider's Resolve (The Rider's Revenge Trilogy Book 3) Page 18