by Ben Wolfe
Samira nodded once in deference and said, “Yes, Lianshi. I had the honor.”
“What is your assessment of these wraiths?”
Samira paused for a moment to consider her words carefully. “Lianshi our Jintai all had better armor than the brotherhood of assassins, but they were expert marksman knowing to shoot their arrows and stab in the weak points. They killed nearly three times our number of their numbers were to be believed. Yet both fought naked. Though they had no armor or even clothes, I myself saw the one called Tarla with nothing but those gauntlets they wear as well as her feet and fists kill one of the assassins in a manner of fighting we have never seen before. By all accounts, the other, named Lisei, took an arrow in the shoulder similar to the one I took, yet continued to fight and killed two of their assassins before she was subdued. They fight like demons, Lianshi and our Jintai have great respect for their abilities.”
“Yes,” Allia replied. “The one known as Ariane thought quickly and was skilled enough to subdue several Jintai sent to subdue her,” she looked at the other Jintai with them who had bowed her head down in shame. “She took on overwhelming odds to save her friends by taking me hostage and when she realized her mistake, she bought us precious moments prior to the attack, then sacrificed her life to kill those at the front of the attack and did so without hesitation.”
“Lianshi,” the woman with her head bowed had tears in her eyes when she looked up. “I cannot live with the shame of my failure. I speak also for the others who failed you when we were subdued by the wraith.”
The Lianshi moved forward to stand before the three women. “You speak for the rest of them?”
“I do, Lianshi.”
“Mirabel,” she said gesturing to her handmaiden. “Go and find the other two and bring them here.” Mirabel bowed and left the room silently. Allia looked back at the Dravin after Mirabel left and asked, “Did you teach them to move that way? I swear she and Emily move like ghosts. It drives me crazy that I can’t hear them approaching or leaving.”
“It wasn’t me,” said the Dravin.
Mirabel returned shortly with the other two women who saluted as they entered and joined the others on their knees.
“You are the two that were subdued by the wraith?” she asked.
The women replied as one, “Yes, Lianshi.”
“You are aware that you have both been condemned to death by your sister?”
Both women looked to the one who had spoken for them while the head of the one who had spoken for them snapped up and looked back at the other two.
“Go and prepare yourselves for the pyres. Today you will be reborn into a new life with your sisters.” She waited a moment as the women bowed their heads. ”Well,” she said, “go. Now.”
The women all got to their feet,bowing as they left.
“Not you two,”she said to Samira and the garrison commander. “I’m not done with the two of you yet.”
The two immediately sank back to their knees.
“First, we need to end the practice of bowing and scraping. I have never liked it and I never,” she emphasized the word, pointing downward, “want to see us on our knees ever again.” The two women scrambled to their feet, bowing and saluting. “A show of respect is fine but never do I want to see Jintai on their knees ever again. Am I clear?”
“Yes, Jintai,” they said in unison.
The Dravin seemed preoccupied with a tapestry on the far wall. In eight intervals he had become wiser in his dealings with her waiting until they were alone before voicing his concerns, but she could tell he was upset. “Dravin, these assassins blend into their environment, right?”
“That is my understanding, Allia.”
She suppressed her aggravation with him for being so familiar. “And where is the closest encampment of these gadjé?”
“Gadjé?” The Dravin asked.
“It was a term that was used in my world for strangers. Undesirables.”
“I see,” said the Dravin. “And how did that work out for you?”
The Lianshi suppressed a greater wave of irritation and seemed about to say something when the commander of the garrison blurted out, “The bazaar, Lianshi.”
“Then what are you still doing here? Shouldn’t you be talking to the Jintai who have been patrolling the bazaar to find out which of the gadjé have shown up within the past few days? Must I do these tasks for you also? I would rather have leaders who can do what needs to be done rather than those who are apologizing for failures.”
“We live to serve you, Lianshi,” she said, saluting before she left.
When the commander had left, Allia said, “Samira, I am told that your commander was killed in the raid by the assassins.”
“Yes, Lianshi.”
“You were chosen for the Imperial Guard. Why?”
“I was the best in my detachment in the El Dubai pass in weapons training and fighting skills, Lianshi. I also helped design the scorpions we have in the cliff caves for the defense of the city.”
“Yes, but we were expecting an invading army and instead we were attacked by stealth.” the Lianshi paced in the room, the Dravin watching her in silence. “I want you to lead my imperial guard.”
“Me?” she replied in surprise. “Lianshi, I came here because I was among those who failed you.”
“Do you regret that fact?” she asked.
“Yes, Lianshi. More than anything.”
“Then this is your chance for redemption. I want you to bring me the wraiths. I want you to study their weapons and garments before they are returned to them. Make sure they are under heavy guard when they come here. Their wounds have been tended?” At her nod of assent, she continued. “I will make them an offer. They came here seeking to enter my service. The wraith riders will become to Karsova what the dark riders are to Arkenheim. Known throughout the world. Not as a secret society or for a group who comes only in times of conflict. They will serve openly as cavalry. As scouts. If my suspicions are correct, as our mage-smiths. Next, I plan to make the Dravin an official advisor. That he is here with me is no longer a secret and when the kings of the west find out that the Lord Dravin was seen with me, we will not be seen as a small encampment that is a rumor or oddity. Unfortunately, all know that the Lord Dravin is also the seneschal of Cibola which remains closed to them.”
“We do not know what the assassins will reveal, Allia. They have secrets now as well,” the Dravin said.
“Yes. I wish I had thought to press that advantage while they were here but I did not. It doesn’t matter anyway. We have to assume they will reveal that to the kings and the Konigar. Besides, I do not believe that they came here to kill me or even the western women though clearly that had been part of the mission they were given. I have heard from women who have just recently fled the west that the heads of the women who had been captured have been dipped in tar to preserve them and now serve as ornaments over the entry gate to Eisengard to serve as a warning to those who would act against the kings of the west or the Konigar. These women took a great risk to come here but now they are here and we have paid dearly. They have placed every woman here at risk. You are to strip these women of their comforts and indoctrinate them all as Jintai immediately.”
The Dravin let out a strangled gasp. “You want to take women who have been pampered their whole lives and train them as warriors?”
“No,” the Lianshi smiled. “I want them humiliated and reminded of the oaths they made to pay the price for their freedom and my protection. Their price will be to protect the rest of the women here from harm. I want their training to humiliate them so that they realize the change in their circumstances and understand that the only way to rise in station will be to become the greatest military leaders in my command. They will need to find ways to be useful. Also, she said, I want all of their belongings brought here.”
“Here?” Samira repeated.
“Did I stutter? Yes, here,” she said. “I am going to give them all a chance
to start new lives, but before I do, they must realize what they are capable of themselves and I need to find out what they have brought me.”
“Lianshi?” Samira interrupted.
“Yes, Captain Samira?” she replied and noted the smile on the face of her Jintai.
“They found sewn into the lining of their leather satchels some things they were going to bring to your attention after we had met with you. It was also found sewn into their clothing.” Walking over to the door, she opened it and motioned into the adjoining room. Two Jintai came in, bearing a chest designed with heavy wood and steel and carried between two staves. It was a lockbox and the Jintai set it down and produced a key to open it.
The Dravin moved closer with the Lianshi to look within. Set within the red velvet that lined the interior were hundreds of platinum coins and atop them sat two leather bags drawn tight with drawstrings. One of the Jintai picked up the first and set out a cloth before spilling the contents out to reveal gemstones of every size and shape.
“These were found among the belongings of the western women.”
“There’s enough gold and gems here to hire a small army,” the Dravin said.
“But that’s not what was most interesting,” Samira replied. Reaching into the lockbox, she placed a rectangular piece of gold, larger and heavier than the coins next to the gems. “This was found in the saddlebag of the Vordoshan handmaiden, Artemis. A Vordoshan gold talum, worth ten gold coins, the same as one of these platinum coins from the west. But what was really surprising was this. She picked up the other leather bag and untying the strings, spilled out three crystal coins. “Aelfen coins. These two they think are aelite coins,” she said as she pointed to two coins that were a deeper red than the rubies her miners brought from the rivers under the falls of Karsova, which fell from a height so high that the top on most days disappeared in the clouds. “Your jewelers, who cut and polish our own gems could not verify if they are authentic because they have only heard rumors of them. They are said to be of such high value that they are supposedly forbidden from being traded with the western kingdoms or Vordosha. However, they suspect they are fake because they do not understand how a gem could be cut that way.”
“They are real,” The Dravin replied, picking one of the deep red coins. “You see the flecks of gold? And they cannot be cut this way because they are shaped by magic and are only grown in the royal gardens using the sacred waters of Lake Eriteba.”
Allia picked up one of the coins. “They are quite beautiful.”
“And this,” he said, placing a trembling hand on the teal crystal, “is a fayite coin. Many regard this as the most valuable coin among the aelfen. It is untrue as there are several other crystal coins grown by the aelfen that are of greater value, but this is among the rarest of coins and is highly regulated. If the aelfen knew that this was in your possession, they have several times in the past paid a hundred thousand gold to take them out of circulation. The aelite coins are worth maybe half that. Each.”
“They are beautiful,” Allia said, “but how are they grown?”
“The royal gardeners are like the human and dwarven mage-smiths. They shape each crystal using magic. The value of each crystal is determined based upon the rarity of the seed crystal and how long the shaping requires. It is rumored that each of the sian coins takes fifty intervals to grow.”
“What makes the fayite coins so valuable?” she asked, picking it up.
“Put it to your eye,” the Dravin replied.
The Lianshi held up the crystal in front of her good eye.
“Not that one,” he said.
Allia pulled off the patch covering the socket of the eye that had been pierced by the throwing dagger and a world blossomed before her of swirling lights and energy causing her to suck in her breath. She reached out with the hand not holding the coin to her eye and reached out as though to touch the aether. She could see it all around her. She moved her hand through it and watched the eddies and currents of the aether in its wake. She could see the glyphs and wards and runes that were etched upon each object though she had made them unseen. “How is this possible?” she whispered.
The Dravin smiled and replied, “The fayite crystal acts as a lens to the aether for those who are able to wield it.”
“I can shape the energy,” she said. “I can see it and feel it. Dravin, I want you to affix a rune of permanence to it.”
The Dravin drew back in horror. “Allia, if you did so, your eye would never regenerate.”
Samira also said, “Lianshi, if its value is so great, there would be those tempted to try to kill you just to remove it. It also explains why these were pursued halfway across the world by the Konigar and why the assassins were sent after the wraiths and Artemis. I do not think the Konigar would reveal to assassins what was stolen in the hopes of having it returned, but it would explain why he wanted them dead. If that coin is worth a hundred thousand gold and the other two together worth the same, then the women who escaped Vordosha and the wraith who tried to save her were involved in much more than an escape. They robbed the Vordoshan treasury. Regardless of whether the wraith knew of the theft, it is no wonder that the Vordoshan Konigar was so furious. The attempt on his life was only the excuse they used to come after them with such force. Lianshi, to acknowledge that you have this would mean war. Already, the Konigar must know.”
Removing the coin from her eye and covering the socket again carefully with the patch, she looked down at the coin in her hand. “Great,” she whispered. “I sent a thief to be trained as an assassin. Let’s hope she steals some of their secrets.” She placed the coin back down next to the others and indicated that the Jintai should put them all away. “Keep this under constant guard until I decide what to do with it.” She glanced at the Dravin and he nodded understanding, following the women out of her chambers.
“Captain Samira,” she said. I will attend the pyres tonight when they are lit but will not attend the celebration of their life afterward. I will announce your promotion to your new position then. I have a task for you regarding the women who believe they are to be burned alive with their fallen sisters tonight. You are to take the wraiths if they agree to serve as the Wraith Riders of Karsova rather than the Wraith Riders of Arkenheim. I will introduce them there as well to bolster morale and as a boon will allow them to recruit from any amongst you. They will choose those about to burn to train them as wraiths. We can’t afford to lose any more. You will also train and will teach the Imperial Guard all that you learn from the wraiths. Understood?”
“Yes, Lianshi.”
“Good.” She motioned her dismissal and sat on the edge of her bed and laid back. Her handmaiden Emily moved to help her to remove her shoes and Allia moved further back on the bed. This was not as she had foreseen it going but she had survived her first encounter with the west. The last time she had been confronted with the wrath of a man, she lost her family, her home and her life. This time it had cost her the temporary use of an eye and too many women. But she and her adopted family had survived and she recovered a small fortune and the means to make her tribe stronger. She drifted off to a night of troubled sleep, dreaming of her mother, her father and Jean Claude.
PROLOGUE
◆◆◆
Misa and La’renz were on patrol along the shore of Lake Eriteba on the Island of Altishan. Misa turned her head to La’renz and said, “I don’t know why you care so much about who I see anyway. You never express any interest in my love life until I decide to allow someone to court me and then you begin acting jealous. You’ve never been anything but trouble, La’renz. It’s your fault we’re stuck patrolling this island without even a bow to practice our aim!”
“Me?” he replied. “How is this my fault? You know every Guardian of the Wood must take on the duty to patrol the sacred garden and the sanctuary of the gods. And you know that no weapons can be carried here. So how is this my fault?”
“If you would not have called Ana’nette’s daug
hter a fat cow, we would never have been slotted this early in the rotation.”
La’renz looked at Misa and started laughing. “I said she had the sweet temperament of a heffer! You should spend more time attentive to the gods to help you with linguistics, Misa!”
“Oooh!” she said, stomping her foot. “You are impossible sometimes.” She turned and trudged off the trail into the woods.
“Misa!” he called after her. “Women,” he murmured under his breath. “Gods save me from them!”
Several moments later after swatting at plants, insects and spider webs, he literally bumped into Misa, who was standing at the edge of one of the many sacred pools. This one was fed by a spring spilling out into a pond that fed a very small waterfall. “Hey!” he said. “Watch it!” he exclaimed.
“Shhh!” she cautioned, pointing at the center of the pool. There, floating face down, was a human woman who appeared to be naked.
“What the hell is she doing here?” he asked. “No one’s allowed in the sacred pools, especially not a human woman!”
“Maybe she’s a god.”
“Don’t be a nit,” he said, swatting the pointed tip of her ear.
“Hey! Well, I’m just saying. She’s here. How else could she have gotten to the sacred pool? She managed to get past all the Guardians of the Wood, The Archers of Halvrashalla patrolling the Wood along the borders, the other guardians on the island and she happened upon this remote pool in the sanctuary of the gods on an island in the middle of a sacred lake?”
“Good point,” La’renz said. “Maybe she altered her form and became a human and then fell asleep while taking a swim?”
Misa looked at him exasperated. “I don’t know, La’renz, but don’t you think we should probably fish her out? I mean, for as much trouble as we will be in finding a human in this pool, imagine what would happen if we allowed her to drown in it.”
“But,” La’renz protested as Misa began to unlace her leather boots, “you know it is forbidden to ever enter the sacred pools of Altishan. The penalty is death.”