Suspicion flashed in the queen's eyes. "Not Soulhunger?"
The Hunter shrugged. "The dagger has been sated. It is enough for now."
Queen Asalah studied him a long moment, then nodded. "So be it. The al-Malek is gone, and we must move on to the next stage of our plans." She looked down at the concubine in her arms. "Go and put on fresh clothing, Az'nii. One of the nice gowns, the ones I like."
Samia smiled a vicious grin. "You not like me like this? Last time we…"
The queen covered the concubine's mouth and shoved her gently away. "Go, Samia. Find robes befitting a queen, for that is the part you will soon play!"
Samia stared up at the queen, her devotion bordering on fanaticism. "As you wish, my queen!" She whispered something into Queen Asalah's ear and flounced away.
The queen's smile disappeared the moment the concubine left the room. "Captain!"
Captain Al-Zahar straightened with a grimace. "Yes, my queen?"
"Go with her. She will dress your wounds. Return to me when she is ready."
The captain bowed and, wincing, hurried after Samia.
Queen Asalah turned to the Hunter. "Things are proceeding precisely according to plan, Hunter. When the sun rises on the kingdom of Al Hani, I will be its new ruler!"
The queen held out her arms, and the diaphanous silk gown slithered from her shoulders. The Hunter couldn't help admiring the queen's form. Her bare flesh looked silky smooth in the soft lantern light. Her body bore none of the scars or lines of age. The arms and shoulders held strength, but there was nothing masculine about the perfectly rounded breasts, wide hips, and long, curving legs.
For a heartbeat, the overwhelming desire that followed every kill coursed through him. His body stirred in response, and he cursed himself. He knew the truth of the thing that wore the perfection that was Queen Asalah, but logic failed in the presence of such beauty.
Queen Asalah gave him a knowing smile. "You and many others have fallen prey to the charms of this form." She stared down at her body, her disgust evident. "Such weakness these mortals have. So susceptible to their base instincts. Truly, I am glad to be rid of such a pitiful disguise."
Her body shifted in a sickening wave of rippling flesh and bone. For a heartbeat, the Hunter caught a glimpse of the demon beneath: a barrel chest, long, powerful limbs with many-jointed fingers that ended in claws, razor sharp teeth protruding from its mouth, and a hint of a forked tongue.
Every shred of the Hunter's desire fled in that heartbeat as he saw the truth. Queen Asalah had been nothing more than a disguise, a suit of flesh worn to hide the creature's true form. The Abiarazi was a monster, in body as well as mind.
In a writhing mass of muscle, the demon's features contorted into those of the al-Malek of Al Hani. The depthless eyes disappeared, replaced by orbs of dark brown. Hideously long arms and fingers shriveled to lean human limbs, and the demon's razor sharp teeth and bestial cheekbones coalesced into the strong jaw and perfect smile of the king.
The demon—now wearing the face of the al-Malek—held out its arms. "Well? What do you think?" Blood from Samia's robes still stained the hard muscles of his exposed chest and torso.
The Hunter took in the demon's new form, the suit of flesh molded into the perfect likeness of the king of Al Hani. He fought the urge to recoil in disgust and forced a smile. "No one will ever know the difference."
Samia flounced into the room. "Look, my love, I…" She stopped with a gasp, her face wrinkling in disgust.
"It is I, Az'nii." The queen's voice drifted from the al-Malek's mouth. "Did I not tell you my powers would prove useful? I have taken on a new form, one that will aid us in carrying out our plans."
Shocked surprise flashed across Captain Al-Zahar's ashen face. "O-Of course, my queen…er, king."
Eyes wide, Samia half-stumbled toward the al-Malek. She ran her hands across his face, frowning. "I prefer the lips of my queen."
Flesh and bone morphed, and Queen Asalah's face sat atop the al-Malek's body. "Of course, my love." She placed a deep, passionate kiss on the First Concubine's lips. When she broke away, her features contorted once more into the face of the king.
Captain Al-Zahar flinched, but held his tongue. Samia, however, showed no sign of horror, only awe. "My Az'nii, greatest of Abiarazi!"
Disgust coiled like a serpent in the Hunter's stomach. In his years as an assassin, he'd seen the worst mankind had to offer. The pious men corrupted those who trusted them for guidance. Men and women tore apart their families in their envy, greed, jealousy, and lust for power. The powerful used and discarded the helpless. Humanity was a cesspool of inner filth and weakness.
Despite that, he'd never believed anyone would knowingly help the Abiarazi in their quest to eradicate mankind. The demons in Voramis and Malandria had tricked the Bloody Hand, the Dark Heresy, and the Order of Midas into aiding them. All had been unwitting serfs in the Abiarazis' game of Nizaa.
But Captain Al-Zahar and Samia knew the truth—they'd seen the demon shift with their own eyes. Samia believed she stood in the presence of a sorceress, but could she be so besotted with the thing masquerading as queen that she chose to ignore the horror before her? What would convince Al-Zahar to serve such a creature? How could any human, no matter how depraved or vile, aid the demons in their efforts to bring death, destruction, and chaos to the world? Soulhunger's leather grip creaked in his clenched fist.
The demon wearing the al-Malek's face turned to him. "Come, Bucelarii, let us plan the next step in our campaign to conquer Al Hani."
The Hunter shook his head. "First, Il Seytani must die."
"Immediately? Surely you can wait for…"
"It must be now!"
"Must be?" The al-Malek's eyes flashed. "Still you follow the Sage's orders? And to think I believed you when you said you would join me."
The Hunter held up a hand. "I do not follow the Sage's orders. Il Seytani's death is…a personal matter."
The al-Malek narrowed his eyes. "So you have no plans to return to Kara-ket? You truly have forsaken the Sage?"
The Hunter nodded. "Yes." His mind raced. Kara-ket. He'd never heard the name before, but the demon spoke it in conjunction with the 'Sage'. Had she unknowingly revealed a vital piece of information he'd need to hunt down whoever commanded the demons?
"Good." The king's expression softened, and the tension faded from his shoulders. "I can offer you far more than that fool ever could."
He contemplated plunging Soulhunger into the demon's chest. He hated leaving the creature alive. With the power to rule Al Hani, it would bring terrible destruction, even in the few days he needed to rescue Hailen and return. But he couldn't risk an alarm being raised. The following night, Younis expected him to have the king's ring. He couldn't afford any delay.
Fighting back his revulsion and hatred, the Hunter knelt before the king. "You have my word, I will return." Though you will not like what happens when I do. Soulhunger throbbed quietly in the back of his mind, aching to feed, even on the blood of its own.
"This could actually work out in our favor." An excited smile tugged at the king's lips. "Think about it, Hunter! You emerge from the desert, having single-handedly destroyed Il Seytani's band of cutthroats, his head on a pike. One man doing all of that!"
"That may be easier said than done. From what I hear, they…"
"You are Bucelarii," the al-Malek shouted, "slayer of men, bringer of death! You have slain thousands of men in battle, and walked away with nary a scratch. You know the power you wield! Cut them down, every last one of them!"
"And when I return?"
"You would be the hero of Al Hani, and no one would doubt your worthiness to serve as the commander of the army."
Captain Al-Zahar growled in frustration. His displeasure was clear, but he would not argue with his king.
The Hunter nodded. "So be it." If it gets me out of here in time to rescue Hailen, I must agree.
The al-Malek smiled. "Together, Hunter, we will
usher Al Hani and the It Nashar into a golden age of conquest and domination!"
The Hunter bowed. "As you say." He turned to leave, but the al-Malek held up a hand.
"I would ask one more thing of you before you go."
The Hunter raised an eyebrow.
"From what I know of your kind"—she stared at Soulhunger, still gripped in the Hunter's hand—"my request is one you should find…enjoyable."
The Hunter's heart sank. "What would you have of me?"
The al-Malek waved in a casual gesture toward Samia. "Kill her."
Chapter Thirty-Nine
The Hunter's jaw dropped. "What?"
The al-Malek pointed at the First Concubine. "Samia. She must die."
Samia stared at the al-Malek, wide eyes filled with disbelief. She seemed unable to form words. Captain Al-Zahar, however, showed no sign of surprise.
The Hunter's eyes darted from the al-Malek to Samia and back. "Isn't she your…?"
The al-Malek waved her hand in a gesture of dismissal. "Once. No longer."
Samia backed away, bumping into Captain Al-Zahar.
"Hold her, Captain!"
At the al-Malek's barked order, Al-Zahar seized the stunned Samia. Flesh and bone shifted, and the face of Queen Asalah stared down at the First Concubine. Her dark eyes held no trace of pity or remorse.
A scream tore from Samia's lips. "What? What is this, my love?"
The al-Malek ran a hand down Samia's face, and a smile touched Queen Asalah's perfect lips. "It is the part you must play, Az'nii."
Samia struggled in Captain Al-Zahar's grip. "What are you doing, Asalah? Stop this!"
The queen placed a gentle hand on Samia's cheek. "If there was any other way, my love…"
Samia's eyes widened in fear and horror. The haughty tone of command fled, replaced by panic. "Asalah, I…"
The al-Malek glared at Al-Zahar. "Captain! Silence her!"
The captain struck the concubine in the back of the head, and Samia slumped, unconscious. Al-Zahar caught her and lowered her to the floor.
The al-Malek motioned to the unmoving Samia, speaking in Queen Asalah's voice. "Dispose of her, Bucelarii. I have no doubt Thanal Eth'Athaur would welcome another soul."
Soulhunger cried its eager delight in the back of his mind, but he pushed back the voice. His thoughts whirled. "Why?"
Queen Asalah's face shifted back to the al-Malek's, and he raised an eyebrow. "You take issue with the order?"
The Hunter shook his head. "I am simply surprised. You and she seemed so…close."
The al-Malek shrugged. "And now she will serve another purpose."
The Hunter's eyebrows shot up. "Dead?"
"Think, Hunter!" His smile was cold and cruel. "I have taken the place of the king, but who will replace the queen?"
Of course. How could I have failed to take that into account?
"But how will that serve you? She looks nothing like you."
The al-Malek's face showed no sign of hesitation or remorse. "Charred corpses are ever so hard to identify."
The Hunter raised an eyebrow. "So you burn her body, claim she is the queen, and was killed in an assassination attempt on your life?"
"Clever, isn't it? This way, there will be no one to doubt that I am king." A vicious smile twisted the demon's lips. "The people will grow to love their al-Malek all the more for his suffering. They will share his pain, and when the king tells them that it was the work of Il Seytani, they will cry for his blood. When my future commander returns from the desert with news that Il Seytani was hired by one of the other kingdoms of It-Nashar—it doesn't matter which, really—war will be declared. "
"And for that to happen, she must die."
The al-Malek shrugged. "We all have our part to play in the grander scheme of things. The al-Malek burns beside his Royal Guards, and Samia plays the role of the queen. The fire will hide all."
He motioned to the corpses on the floor. "Why not any of the others?"
"She knows too much. Unlike Captain Al-Zahar, who serves out of love for Al Hani, Samia's loyalty is founded on her love for Queen Asalah. Emotion." He sneered. "What happens the day that love grows stale? It is a risk I am not willing to take."
The Hunter hid a grimace. So callous, so unfeeling. She speaks of her lover's death as if she is swatting an ant.
"Well?" The al-Malek motioned to the unconscious Samia. "Get it over with! Dawn is but a few hours off."
"No." The Hunter sheathed Soulhunger. I do not take orders. I will not be controlled by anything or anyone!
"What?" The al-Malek narrowed his eyes. "You would refuse...?"
"A command?" The Hunter met the king's gaze with equal ferocity. "You promised we would be equals in this. Equals do not give each other orders and expect them to be followed. If you are looking for blind obedience, you have the captain."
The demon studied him, and a slow smile spread across his face. "The blood of mortals has not diluted your spirit, Bucelarii. I can see much of your father about you. He was ever strong-willed." He turned to Captain Al-Zahar. "Do it, captain." The demon's icy disdain sent chills down the Hunter's spine.
With only a moment's hesitation, the captain drew a dagger and thrust it into the base of Samia's skull. The First Concubine gasped and twitched, then lay still.
The Hunter stared down at the lifeless corpse. The demon had adopted the guise of the queen to seduce the woman, using her to further its plans to gain control of the kingdom. When Samia's usefulness had run out, the demon had ordered her killed without pause.
This, then, is the truth of the demon.
The Hunter struggled to hide his loathing. He'd almost been able to look past the fact that he was a demon, had all but grown accustomed to the reek of decay. Indeed, the flash of humanity he'd seen in the garden had given him hope that the Abiarazi—and, by extension, the Bucelarii—were more than creatures of bloodlust and ruthless ambition. But the thing's callous cruelty reminded him of why he had vowed to kill every demon he encountered.
Abiarazi cared nothing for human life, or for the suffering resulting from their actions. This creature would use its position as al-Malek of Al Hani to bring death and destruction to the Twelve Kingdoms. Countless innocents would live, die, and suffer because of it. In its quest for power, the demon would use and discard any who suited its needs, as it had proven with Samia. The Hunter had little doubt it would do the same to him once he served his purpose.
"Captain!" The al-Malek's voice returned the Hunter to the present. "Bring the lanterns."
The Captain seized one of the hanging oil lamps and poured its contents over the lifeless concubine. Fresh blood stained the bandages around the Captain's shoulder; Samia's struggles had reopened the wound.
The Hunter kept his face impassive, but daggers of acid pierced his gut. How can the captain obey without question? He must know the queen will discard him when his usefulness has run out.
He turned to the demon. "That is one loose end tied up. Shall I take care of the other?" He inclined his head toward the captain. Soulhunger whispered from its sheath.
Al-Zahar's eyes flashed to the Hunter, and he reached for his sword.
"Hold, Captain!" The al-Malek raised a hand. "There is no need for violence. The captain is loyal to Al Hani, not to the man who once ruled it. He shares my vision of conquest. He serves me well, and will serve you once you are commander of the army."
The Hunter met Al-Zahar's glare, and understanding dawned. The man was a soldier, a warrior in a kingdom plagued by peace. He lusted for the glory of battle and war, and chafed beneath the former al-Malek, who had sought stability and prosperity for Al Hani. Now, with the demon in control, he would have what he craved. The Hunter had little doubt Al-Zahar would seek a way to eliminate him, the only obstacle to gaining command of the armies.
The Hunter sheathed Soulhunger, and Al-Zahar removed his hand from his sword hilt.
"Good." The al-Malek lowered his hand. "Get on with it, Captain."
The al-Malek crouched over Samia's corpse. "You served me well in life, Az'nii." The demon's callous use of the word left a bitter taste in the Hunter's mouth. "Take comfort in knowing your death serves a purpose. Because of you, I will usher Al Hani into an age of glorious conquest."
The demon removed one of its rings—a heavy, ornate piece of jewelry made of white gold set with a deep blue sapphire gemstone—and slipped it onto the concubine's finger.
"Come, Hunter." The al-Malek straightened. "Show me to my husband's corpse. There is something I must do."
Mind racing, the Hunter followed the al-Malek toward the bathing chamber. A metallic tang assaulted his nostrils half-way down the tunnel. The crimson staining the walls and floors looked eerie in the soft golden glow of lantern light.
The demon crouched over the body of the true al-Malek, studying the king's unmoving body through narrowed eyes. "Where is it?"
"Where is what?"
"The ring of the al-Malek." The demon rounded on him, eyes blazing. "The companion to the ring I placed upon the concubine's fingers." He raised the king's hand. "It never leaves his finger, and yet it is gone."
"Surely the captain must have—"
"You were the one to kill the al-Malek. The captain would never have known to take it. Only you would have use for the ring."
The Hunter's mind whirled. Impossible! She can't possibly know.
"I give you one more chance, Hunter. Where. Is. It?"
With jerky movements, the Hunter drew the ring from his tunic. Torchlight glinted off the enormous purple gemstone set in white gold.
"Give it to me."
"No." He'd crossed the Sah'raa, traversed Mount Baradh, and killed for the ring. He'd be damned if he relinquished it now, not when he was so close to rescuing Hailen.
The demon's eyes widened. "What? You dare to refuse?"
The Hunter nodded. "I do not take commands from…"
"Now is not the time for your wilfull stubbornness, Bucelarii! Give over the ring at once."
The Last Bucelarii Book 3: Gateway to the Past Page 27