by B. T. Narro
Cedri’s mouth came open, but she said nothing.
The door slammed shut behind Shara. She gave a quick glance over her shoulder to find Neeko with his hand against it, his eyes wide and livid.
“All of you are shouting about things that you shouldn’t be shouting about,” he chided. “Shara, you need to put your wand down. Cedri did not kill Charlotte, and we know this because Charlotte would’ve suspected her. Darri avoided Charlotte as if she carried the plague. When he did get close enough to her, she sensed he had secrets. It was him! I don’t know what Steffen is trying to say, but we need to listen to him. All right?”
Shara’s arm dropped. Now that she had time to think, she figured he was probably right.
“Darri intended to kill Jaymes, Shara.” Steffen sounded desperate for her to believe him. “When I followed Darri into Jaymes’ tent, he was hovering over the sleeping commander and kneeling like he was about to pull a dagger from a sheath on his ankle. Remember, Shara, they found one there when they searched him. I wasn’t wrong.”
She did remember. “So you made up everything about the poisoning?”
“Yes.”
“But why would you do it?”
Steffen glanced at Neeko, then Cedri, looking reluctant to speak.
Shara realized, “This is the secret you almost told me after you killed him, isn’t it?”
“I decided against it because I didn’t know how you would react,” Steffen confirmed. “I figured I would tell you later, but a good opportunity never came. Our trip to Aylinhall was torturous with both of us hungry, thirsty, and needing sleep. You were already worried about so many things. I didn’t—”
“Fine,” she interrupted. “Two hells, just tell me why you did it.”
“Darri didn’t hear me come in. I saw Jaymes’ water skin and quickly put some of the caregelow powder inside, then tossed the pouch so that it would be near Darri. It was before he looked behind him to find me, and that’s when he stopped reaching for his dagger.”
Shara huffed. “I don’t believe you could have the forethought to do all that.”
“It was something I thought of long ago. If I couldn’t kill Darri, I could make it look as if he poisoned Jaymes’ water. The opportunity came, so I took it. Is it really so hard to believe?”
“Yes!” The word came out louder than Shara meant. “If I were you, I would’ve told the guards exactly what you saw: He was standing over the commander, reaching for the dagger near his ankle.”
“Darri would lie, and my testimony wouldn’t be enough for him to be executed.” Steffen glanced at Neeko, as if worried about him overhearing what he had to say next. “It would’ve been a stupid decision because then Darri would know we were after him, and we’d never get the chance to kill him.”
Shara felt sick as she realized something. “Why didn’t you say something to stop Darri from killing Jaymes after you tainted Jaymes’ water? And don’t lie. Cedri will know.”
Cedri took a quick step toward Steffen and squinted up at him.
Steffen wouldn’t answer, so Shara did for him. “It’s because you couldn’t be sure your plan would work. You would’ve let him kill the commander because you don’t care about this war or any of us! Catching Darri in the act would make it impossible for him to avoid execution. You just wanted Darri to die, and you were prepared to do anything to achieve that!”
“No.” Steffen gritted his teeth. “I wouldn’t have let Darri kill Jaymes.”
“Cedri?” Shara prompted.
“My gods, he’s lying!”
Shara was about to scream for Steffen to get out and never come back, but Neeko already had a hand on Steffen’s chest, pushing him into the wall, his face red with anger.
“Don’t you know what would happen to the army if Jaymes was murdered by a spy during their march to battle?” Neeko’s voice held a dangerous level of fury. “It could’ve broken their spirit. Thousands could’ve defected!”
Steffen put his hands up. “I was going to yell as soon as Darri had a weapon in hand.” His eyes shifted to Cedri, who stood on her toes to see over Neeko’s shoulder. “It’s the truth.”
“It is,” she confirmed.
“There was a small chance Darri still would’ve successfully carried out the act after I yelled,” Steffen said in a panicked voice. “But I wouldn’t have let him kill Jaymes…on purpose.”
“If it was Terren, you would’ve said something immediately,” Neeko accused.
“But it wasn’t Terren, and your commander lived. I made some quick decisions, and I regret none of them. I probably would be speaking differently now if Jaymes had been killed, but he’s fine.”
Neeko turned to glance at Shara, his hand still holding Steffen against the wall. She was surprised when Steffen and Cedri also looked to her, the silent room awaiting her voice.
“How loyal are you to this mission?” she asked.
“I’m not going to give my life to ensure victory.” Steffen paused to think. “But I’ll do anything short of that.” His gaze shifted to Cedri’s bruised and suspicious face. “Almost anything,” he added.
Shara figured Cedri would say something if he was lying. “Do you have any other secrets?”
“No.”
“Stop lying.” Cedri reached over Neeko to jab her finger into Steffen’s forehead.
He exhaled sharply as he grimaced. “Everyone has a secret. Mine is nothing that matters to the mission.”
“He’s telling the truth,” Cedri announced sadly, probably disappointed she couldn’t find a reason to get rid of Steffen.
Neeko let go of Steffen, everyone’s anger now gone. Again, they turned to Shara to proceed.
“We still have to know what your secret is in order to trust you.”
“My secret really doesn’t matter.” From the way Steffen inclined his head in Cedri’s direction while pointing to his chest, it seemed as if he was trying to tell Shara something.
She couldn’t figure out his message. Steffen checked that everyone was looking at Shara before making another motion—putting both hands on his chest and tilting his head toward Cedri once again, his eyebrows rising to show a look of reluctance.
Shara smirked as she realized what it was.
Steffen wasn’t as dangerous or untrustworthy as she thought. He’d taken a risk that angered her, putting his own interests above theirs, but now that Darri was dead, he wouldn’t do anything like that again.
“Uhh.” Cedri spoke through a grumble, drawing their attention. Her eyes were slits, her head drooping. “I’m suddenly tired.”
Steffen caught her as she collapsed.
“The caregelow powder comes on strong,” he explained as he carried her to the bed. “I didn’t know you drank enough to have this effect, otherwise I would’ve warned you.”
Cedri got one eye halfway open as Steffen set her on the bed and started to take off her shoes.
“Shara,” Cedri called in a weak voice. “Make sure Steffen doesn’t get naked in bed with me.”
“What?” Neeko asked. “Why would that happen?”
But she seemed to be asleep.
Steffen quickly took his hands off her and spun to face Neeko. “Please let me explain.”
“You’ve tried to get naked in bed with her?” Neeko wore a look of utter confusion that made Shara roar with laughter.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
NEEKO
There was only one other room available at Meri’s Stay. Shara rented it for Steffen to appease Cedri, though that meant Neeko and Shara had to sleep with her in the enormous bed. Neeko hoped she wouldn’t mind waking to them beside her.
Cedri was still dead asleep by the time Neeko and Shara had settled into bed a couple of hours later. Cedri let out quick snorts now and then that made Shara giggle.
“Steffen has feelings for her,” Shara whispered. “That’s his secret.”
“How do you know? I thought they despised each other.”
“He made a gesture wh
ile you weren’t looking. I don’t know if it’s just a simple attraction or if there’s more to what he’s feeling, but it’s clear he doesn’t want her to know.” Cedri snorted as if in reply, and Shara laughed. “I assume she can’t recognize what it is, otherwise she would’ve said something to me.”
“I’m surprised how much you’ve thought about this.” Neeko wasn’t nearly as fascinated as Shara. Except then he remembered something that piqued his interest. “I think Steffen cares for another woman, someone in Ovira. I remember him mentioning it.”
“Oh.” Shara tapped his arm as she thought. “It must be difficult to be attracted to a psychic while caring for another woman who he hasn’t seen in months.”
“And he’s right about one thing. This has nothing to do with the mission, so we shouldn’t bother him about it.”
“You should be aware that Terren will try to convince you to go back to Ovira with him. He’ll say that what we’re doing is too dangerous.”
“I know.”
Before Steffen retired to his own room, he’d told Neeko and Shara that he’d found Terren here in Lanhine. Terren had been plotting out his route through the South, but when Steffen explained everything that had happened—Charlotte’s death, Neeko’s dismissal from the army, and the new goal of taking down the Southern king and his priests—Terren decided to return to Ovira. But only after speaking with Neeko.
Steffen made Neeko promise to go with him in the morning to visit Terren. Neeko didn’t need any convincing. He owed Terren at least a conversation, but he certainly wouldn’t be accompanying him to Ovira.
Hours later and in the heart of the night, Neeko awoke to someone’s feet on his back, nearly pushing him and Shara off the bed.
“You’d better have undershorts on, you lousy rat. Get off!” Cedri kicked him shockingly hard. “I told you I don’t care how big this bed is, you’re—”
“Cedri, it’s Neeko!” He pushed back against her, holding Shara so she wouldn’t fall over the side.
Shara awoke with a gasp and roiled in his arms as if she thought she was being attacked. He caught an elbow against his hip.
“Shara, stop!”
Cedri ceased her kicking. Shara stopped fighting and sat up. “What in the two hells?”
It didn’t take long to explain the situation. A few moments later, both young women were back asleep as if nothing had happened…as if they hadn’t left bruises on Neeko’s body.
*****
Neeko left with Steffen in the morning. They were to meet Terren at an inn on the other side of the city. Neeko chose a path that would take him past his old house and wondered if Shara had the same urge to see the rubble of her old home.
Although, she doesn’t have a family member buried there. He was glad he wasn’t someone who believed in zuji. There were many rules regarding the dead, but one of the worst to violate—one that would bring the most severe wrath from the god of death—was abandoning the remains of relatives instead of burying them in a graveyard.
His heart lurched when he came to his street and saw the old gravel path to the spot where his house used to be. Now there was only a small field of ash. He’d expected to find at least part of his metal oven, which he’d used to cook his father countless meals, but someone must’ve scavenged the scraps.
The ash wasn’t deep enough to cover his father’s remains, so someone had moved Jon’s body. He hoped it was soldiers and not dogs, and that his father had been laid to rest properly, even though in life he hadn’t given Neeko a moment’s peace.
“Why are we stopping here?” Steffen asked.
“This was my house.”
Steffen looked at the ashes, puzzled. “Doesn’t it make you sad to look at?”
“It does.”
“Then why do it?”
“Curiosity, I suppose.” Neeko let his eyes wash over the rubble one last time, looking for anything he might’ve missed.
“I’m not sure what I should be saying,” Steffen said. “But I feel as if you want me to…speak about it?”
Neeko realized Steffen was the wrong person to be here with him. It should’ve been Shara.
“No. Let’s go.”
The innkeeper recognized Steffen and led them to Terren’s modest room. He was seated at the table, his strong hands wrapped around a book. He stood and offered a smile. “Neeko.” Although the man was in his thirties, he looked as if he’d used his years to mold his body into that of a fighter. He gestured for his guests to sit. Neeko couldn’t help but frown as he readied himself to hear Terren’s plea to go with him, which he would refuse politely.
“I’m thankful to see you again,” Terren said, his warm smile dissolving Neeko’s discomfort in an instant.
“I’m glad Steffen and Cedri reached you before you went into the South…and I’m sorry about Charlotte.”
Terren took a moment to press his thin lips together in what looked to be suppressed anger. Then his breath came out as he lowered his head. “She’ll be missed, but the time to grieve is later. We need to discuss some matters.”
“You want me to give up this mission to take King Marteph off his throne and come to Ovira with you.”
“No. I want you to explain why you’re doing it because I want to help you.”
Neeko was shocked, until he realized Terren probably meant he wanted to “help” by convincing Neeko not to put himself in danger.
“You’re helping me enough by offering me a place to live once this is over.”
“I’d like to do more than that. Tell me your reasoning behind this.”
Neeko thought back to his conversation with Shara and the words came easily. “I have a chance to win this war. They’re expecting an army. They won’t be ready for one pyforial mage. If I give up now, I could never be happy knowing what I’d abandoned.”
“Why won’t you be happy?”
“It’s not a choice,” Neeko tried to explain. He gestured at Steffen. “It’s the same reason Steffen couldn’t leave without finding Darri.”
Terren raised an eyebrow as he turned to Steffen. “And do you feel happy now that you’ve slain him?”
“No. I’m still angry.”
But Neeko’s situation wasn’t the same as Steffen’s. If Neeko had killed Swenn, he wouldn’t feel empty and unsettled as he did now.
“It’s going to be different when I make the Southern king pay for what he’s done.” Neeko held back his anger so he didn’t sound like a madman driven by revenge. “It’s the only way I’ll be able to go on.”
“I know what you’re feeling,” Terren said, surprising him. “I’ve felt it myself. Allow me to tell you something.” He eyed Steffen. “I’m going to need you to leave for this. Please wait in the lobby.”
As obedient as a pet, Steffen nodded and left.
“Neeko,” Terren said, the friendliness gone from his voice, “you are not to speak of this to anyone. I am headmaster at the Academy at Kyrro. I have a reputation to maintain.”
“No one will hear it. But why tell me if it’s such a secret?”
“Because I need you to trust me, and someone has taught me that the best way to earn a man’s trust is to first show him that he is trusted.”
Neeko sat back in his chair. Was his loyalty truly worth this much to Terren? It seemed so. He urged him to go on.
“My father died when I was five,” Terren said. “My brother, Dex, was thirteen. My mother married another man who would rise to great political power later. All of this is important to what I’m trying to tell you.”
“I’m listening.”
“Fourteen is the age of adulthood in Ovira, as it is here. Not long after my brother’s fourteenth birthday our mother died, leaving him and our new father to take care of me. I was only six and didn’t realize then how fortunate I was to have them both. Many people don’t get along with their siblings, but my brother and I never argued. I relied on him while our parents were alive, but I relied on him even more after they died. So when he was murde
red when we were both adults, it was harder on me than either of my parents passing.” He seemed in pain, his gaze focused on something only he could see.
“I’m sorry,” Neeko said.
“I know you’ve suffered similar losses, but that isn’t our only similarity. My brother’s death, along with his wife’s—the same killer took both their lives—orphaned their nine-year-old son, Cleve. I couldn’t leave him on his own; I needed to be his new father even though I knew nothing about children, nor did I want one. I can summarize the man I was in just a few words: I was a guard of the king, I loved sword fighting, and there was a beautiful woman staying in my home, though we had no intention of marrying.
“When Cleve came, the situation was too much for her to bear. She moved out a week later and ended our relationship. I was a fool and silently blamed Cleve for it. Naturally, he sensed it and refused to come out of his room. Every meal was a struggle. He constantly cried.” Terren shook his head as he spoke. “I wanted to act the same way as the nine-year-old boy, refusing to eat and crying all day. My brother and I had never drifted apart over the years, and his death was a mystery…without answers I thought I needed.”
Neeko was beginning to see how this related to him. He could hear the same torment in Terren’s tone that he felt within his chest.
“Before that, I wasn’t serious about anything,” Terren continued. “I thought I had many paths available and just had to choose one. After my brother died, though, every path I thought was available no longer existed, while a new path opened. Just like you, Neeko, I got involved in the politics of my kingdom and, eventually, a war. Because of ties to my influential brother and the powerful man who’d married my mother, I was chosen as headmaster at the Academy in Kyrro—a place where young men and women go to hone their skills with bastial and sartious energy, joining the army in the process. This was just one year after my brother’s death. I brought Cleve to live with me on the campus, sealing his fate as well. I thought it would be what Cleve and I needed to move on and be happy. In the seven years since then, Neeko, I’ve never been more proud of Cleve or myself. I won’t bore you with my list of conquests, but let me assure you it’s nothing to scoff at.” Terren’s proud voice commanded respect. Neeko would be a fool to think he was exaggerating. “But I still feel the same pain when I think about the murder of my brother and his wife and the orphaning of an innocent child.”