Rider's Revenge (The Rider's Revenge Trilogy Book 1)

by Alessandra Clarke

  Herin and Garzel exchanged a worried look, but Herin kept working.

  K'lrsa stood to the side, biting her lip, wanting to help, but not knowing what she could do.

  "Herin…?"

  "Just stay out of my way. We don't have much longer."

  K'lrsa bit her lip and backed into the corner, watching Herin work. Sayel stood next to her, holding her hand in his as they both watched and waited.

  There were so many injuries—cuts on his arms and legs, the deep wound in his back that had likely killed him—and yet he looked so peaceful lying there. So young. And innocent.

  Just a boy, not the leader of an entire Daliphate.

  She wondered how scared he'd been, standing on top of that dais day after day ordering men to obey him and wondering if they would.

  "Can you save him, Herin?" K'lrsa finally asked, unable to stay silent any longer. "You saved Lodie, right? So you can save him?"

  Herin glanced at Garzel again, but didn't answer. He was still standing at the main door, his ear pressed to the wood, listening to the men running up and down the hall.

  "How long ago was he killed, Sayel?"

  Sayel shook his head. "Around midday. We tried to get him to you as fast as possible, but…"

  Herin signaled him to stop talking and turned back to Badru's body, moving his arms, noting the stiffness that had started to form.

  Garzel grunted something and Herin flinched. "No." She shook her head violently side-to-side.

  He grunted again, louder, more forceful.

  "No. I won't do it." She stared up at him, stricken. "I can't…"

  "What? What's wrong?" K'lrsa stepped forward, looking back and forth between them.

  They all flinched as another group of soldiers ran down the hallway outside and someone paused to try their door once more.

  Garzel knelt in front of Herin, taking her hands in his. He grunted at her again, staring into her eyes.

  Herin looked like she might cry, the expression so wholly unexpected that K'lrsa stumbled away from them. What was he saying?

  Sayel gently pushed K'lrsa aside and stepped forward. "I'll do it."

  "Do what? What are you talking about? Sayel?" K'lrsa clutched at his arm.

  He glanced back at her with a sad smile, stroking the side of her face with his fingers. "Ah, my dorana. Don't you see? To save Badru, someone must take his place. A life for a life."

  K'lrsa stared at Sayel, trying to understand what he was telling her. She looked past him to Herin who was watching her quietly, waiting. She looked back at Sayel.

  "You? You're going to…? No." She looked at all three of them, backing away. "No."

  Another group of soldiers ran by, shouting to one another. Sayel looked towards the door and back at her. "We're out of time, my dorana."

  She looked towards the passageway. "Can't we go through the passages? Can't we find someone and…"

  "Just kill them?" Herin asked, watching her closely. "A prisoner maybe? Or a slave? Some young girl you find cleaning the floor?"

  K'lrsa opened her mouth and closed it again. She wanted to say yes, anything to save Badru. But, no, that wasn't true. It wasn't fair to save him at the cost of some child's life.

  Herin turned to her. "If you want Badru to live, someone must die."

  K'lrsa glanced frantically between Sayel, Herin, and Garzel. "Isn't there another choice?"

  Herin shook her head. "No. We only have about half a candlemark more to complete the ritual."

  Sayel stepped forward, blocking her view of the rest of the room. He took her shoulders in his hands and stared down at her. "I am a poradom. I swore to give my life for my Daliph."

  "Not like this you didn't. And I, I need you."

  He shook his head. "No, you don't, my dorana. You are strong and fierce and intelligent. You don't need me or anyone else. And Badru can do what I cannot. He can overthrow his grandfather. I? I am just a poradom."

  She fought back her tears. "You're not just anything, Sayel. You're my friend."

  He smiled, his teeth shining against his dark skin as he leaned down to kiss her gently on the forehead. "Thank you for that, my dorana."

  He turned away from her. "Let us begin."

  Chapter 98

  K'lrsa sat next to Sayel and held his hand as Herin finished her preparations. He was calm as he stared at the ceiling and breathed softly.

  K'lrsa watched him, tears streaming down her face, wondering why it was that death followed her. First her father, then Barkley, and Badru. And now Sayel. Every man she cared for died.

  On the table, Herin arranged two shallow black bowls, a knife made of some sort of dark black stone that seemed to suck up the light in the room, some odd carved stones, and three black candles.

  She nicked Sayel's wrist and collected his blood in the first bowl, and then did the same with Badru's blood in the second bowl even though it barely flowed enough for her to fill it. When she had enough, she marked Badru's eyes, mouth, and heart with Sayel's blood and then marked Sayel with Badru's blood.

  She lit the candles, muttering under her breath as she lit each one. They smelled like a decaying corpse—damp and putrid. K'lrsa covered her mouth and struggled to ignore the stench.

  Herin dipped the stones in the blood and placed them on Badru's and Sayel's chests in an elongated diamond pattern, one end pointed towards their heads, one towards their feet.

  K'lrsa wanted to ask Herin to explain what she was doing, but one look at Herin's face and she kept silent.

  "Go stand by Garzel."

  K'lrsa kissed Sayel on the forehead and wiped away the tear that trailed down his cheek. "I'll miss you, Sayel."

  "And I you, my dorana."

  "Pzah, girl. We don't have all day." Herin shooed her towards the corner of the room where Garzel grabbed her and pulled her against his chest.

  K'lrsa turned around just in time to watch Herin plunge a knife into Sayel's heart. She struggled to rush back to his side, but Garzel held her tight murmuring something unintelligible but kind in her ear.

  She kicked and fought as Sayel's body convulsed under the blow.

  Badru sat up, gasping for air, his body perfect once more, his wounds gone.

  "Where am I? What happened?" His voice was hoarse, like he had a cold. He coughed to clear his throat.

  He watched Herin clean the knife she'd used and set it back on the table. "Grandmother? What have you done?"

  "Pzah. What do you think I've done, you fool? I saved your worthless, ungrateful life."

  Badru turned on K'lrsa. "And you let her do this?"

  "Let her? I begged her to."

  He buried his face in his hands, shaking his head. "I didn't want anyone to die just so I could live."

  "Oh, enough." Herin threw a bag of food at him. "You're a Daliph. Men die for you every day. Every slave who dies working the fields dies so you can eat. Every soldier who dies, dies fighting to protect your interests. Just because you don't stab them through the heart yourself doesn't make them any less dead. Get over it."

  Badru dug around in the sack, shoving food into his mouth as he glared at Herin. She didn't flinch, just stood in front of him, hands on hips, staring him down.

  Finally, Badru stood and walked over to the other bed. "Sayel."

  K'lrsa stepped forward and rested her hand on his arm. "He wanted to, Badru."

  "Why?"

  "Because he swore to give his life for you. And because you can do what he can't. You can defeat your grandfather."

  Badru shook his head.

  "Pzah. Quit pouting and start thinking. Your grandfather has control of the Daliphate. And if he finds you here, he'll kill you. Again. And I can assure you, if that happens, I won't be able to save you. So stop worrying about how you got here and start thinking about how you're going to get out of here. How we all are."

  They froze as a group of men passed by, one trying the door yet again. This time he didn't quit, pushing and shoving against the door over and over aga
in.

  "I heard voices. Someone get an axe," he called. "I want to know what or who is on the other side of this door. Now."

  Chapter 99

  They fled back into the dark passageways. K'lrsa held Badru's hand as Herin led them upward three levels and down another series of passageways to a small storeroom, the shelves along each wall crammed with sacks of grain, dried meats, and glass jugs full of pickled vegetables.

  "We should be safe here. For now. But he won't quit until he finds you, Badru."

  Badru paced the small space as the rest of them huddled against the shelves. "We need to rally support as soon as possible. The sooner he's defeated, the better."

  Herin shook her head. "Think, boy. Who are your allies? Tell me, Badru, who do you know will stand with you?"

  "Pavel. And…"

  K'lrsa bit her lip. "Pavel's dead. He was killed protecting you."

  "Who else?" Herin demanded.

  "I…most of my council would probably stand with me, except maybe…"

  Herin waved a hand at him, dismissing what he was about to say. She turned to K'lrsa. "Why did Aran act now? What happened today to force him to show himself?"

  K'lrsa glanced at Badru, but he was glaring at the door, lost in thought.

  She told Herin what had happened with K'var, how Badru had called for his sword to kill the man and the former Daliph had declared himself.

  Herin turned on Badru, contempt clear on her face. "Did you learn nothing from me, you foolish boy?"

  "I am your Daliph, woman. Speak to me with respect."

  "Ha. Not anymore. You were my Daliph. Now you're just a spoiled and foolish boy who lost his throne. And for what? Love?"

  "He was conspiring against me."

  "Boy, if you killed everyone who'd ever conspired against you, you wouldn't have any subjects left."

  Badru stared at her, stunned.

  Herin glanced to Garzel and he shrugged. She nodded. "We can't stay here."

  K'lrsa stepped forward. "Then we go to my tribe. We warn them of what's happened here."

  Badru shook his head. "No. We have to regain my throne."

  K'lrsa glanced at him, but shook her head. "No. Herin's right. You don't know who to trust and we can't allow the tribes to be destroyed." She focused her attention on Herin and Garzel. "He killed everyone in the Summer Spring Tribe, Herin. He'll kill the rest, too, if given a chance. We can't let that happen. The tribes need to survive. We have to protect…it."

  "Protect what?"

  They all ignored Badru. Herin met K'lrsa's eyes and nodded. "You're right. We have to get to the tribes before Aran does."

  "No. I'm not leaving." Badru blocked the door to the hallway, his arms crossed.

  K'lrsa sighed. "Badru, you can come back later."

  "No."

  "Badru, listen to me. We have to go before he finds you. And we have to warn my people. You can fight him another day when you're strong and have allies behind you."

  "No. I have to fight him now."

  "Why?"

  "This is who I am. This is my birthright. I am the Daliph. He had no right to take that from me."

  K'lrsa sighed. She glanced to Herin, but the woman was in a deep conversation with Garzel.

  "Let it go, Badru."

  "This is who I am, K'lrsa. Without this, I'm nothing."

  "You're still the man I love."

  He laughed—a short, bitter sound and turned away from her.

  K'lrsa tried not to feel hurt, but she was.

  Chapter 100

  "Time to go." Herin reached for the stones that would open the secret panel.

  "I'm not going. I'm not giving up." Badru leaned against the door to the hallway, arms crossed tight against his chest.

  "Pzah, boy. There's nothing for you here now. You can leave now and start anew. Or you can stay here like a whiny child and admit defeat."

  "I can fight."

  Herin pinched the bridge of her nose. "No. You can't. Too many people saw you die today, Badru. If you go back now, they'll know you were raised by a death walker and they'll kill you."

  His jaw clenched as he glared at Herin.

  K'lrsa turned away. She just wanted to leave. She wanted to grab Fallion and ride and ride and ride until Toreem and the Toreem Daliphate were far behind her. She was done with men and their power plays.

  She closed her eyes.

  But she couldn't just leave the man she loved behind to die again. Not after the sacrifice Sayel had made to save him.

  She turned toward him and forced a smile, softening her voice. "Badru, we're going to the tribes. You'll be with me."

  "And what will I be there? A foreigner? A stranger?"

  She grabbed his arms and looked deep into his angry eyes. "You'll be my mate. The man I've determined is worthy to stand by my side." His gaze softened slightly. "It's true, we don't have Daliphs or Kings, but I'm a first daughter of a first daughter of a first daughter going back as long as tribal memory. You'd have standing, Badru. People would respect you."

  He looked away, chewing the inside of his cheek. "What if I didn't want that? What if I wanted to prove myself without you?"

  K'lrsa stepped back, crossing her arms against the pain in her chest. She shook her head, turning away from him.

  "K'lrsa, wait. I didn't mean it like that." He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back to him, whispering in her ear. "I love you. You know that. But I have to prove myself. I have to earn my own place. I've never relied on anyone else before and I don't want to start now."

  She pulled away from him. "No? Your being the Daliph had nothing to do with your grandfather? Or the actions of your grandmother?" She grabbed a bag from the floor and threw it over her shoulder. "Fine. You want to prove yourself, then prove yourself. You can be just another young warrior, one of hundreds. Just like I would've been just another young slave girl if you hadn't made me your dorana."

  "It's not the same, K'lrsa."

  She glared at him. "It is. I only had status here because of you. Without that, I was nothing. If you come to the tribes, you can come as my mate—a man I've judged to be my equal, a man sent to me by the gods to help rescue my people—or you can come as Badru, a trained warrior willing to lend his sword to help protect the tribes. Your choice."

  She turned to Herin. "Can we go now? I need to get out of here."

  Herin nodded to Garzel. "The stables. We need the horses."

  He opened the panel and ducked into the passage. K'lrsa started to follow.

  "K'lrsa, wait." Badru grabbed her arm, but she shook him off.

  As she followed Garzel, she cursed herself for being such a fool. She should've known Badru had never seen her as an equal.

  He didn't want to be with her no matter what. He only wanted to be with her if he could be the all-powerful Daliph and she could be the pretty little songbird in a golden cage sitting by his side.

  He didn't understand that she was the desert hawk, as much a warrior and leader as he was.

  Maybe more so.

  Garzel grunted something at her. She still didn't understand his words, but she knew he was urging her to give Badru time.

  She shook her head, dismissing his comment.

  He gave her a light shove and grunted again.

  "Okay. Fine."

  She sighed.

  He was right. Badru had lost everything today. She needed to give him time to grow and accept that his life had changed forever just like hers had on the day her father died.

  She laughed at herself.

  What had she expected? That their love story would be like all those tales she'd grown up on? The girl meets her hero and he's perfect and she's perfect and they live happily ever after in a perfect world together?

  She'd known better than that.

  But it was one thing to know that's not how life was and another to live it.

  She shoved those concerns aside for another day. Right now she needed to escape this place before the former Daliph found the
m and killed them all.

  Chapter 101

  It was the middle of the night by the time they finally crept their way down a small hallway near the stables. They'd managed to avoid Aran's men, but just barely.

  They huddled together in the hallway, looking out at the stables. No one was around—it was absolutely silent, the horses asleep in their stalls.

  Except for Fallion who raised his head and nickered in their direction. K'lrsa glanced around once more and then darted forward. "Shh, micora." She scratched his nose, closing her eyes as he nuzzled at her ear in happy affection.

  K'var stepped out of the neighboring stall, sword drawn. "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist taking your precious horse with you."

  K'lrsa backed away from Fallion and dropped into a fighting stance, circling away from him until his back was to Herin, Garzel, and Badru. She saw Badru moving forward and shook her head sharply.

  This was her fight, not his.

  Badru took another step towards her and Garzel grabbed him and pulled him back into the darkness of the hallway.

  "Alone?" She asked. She glanced around, careful to keep an eye on K'var as she did so. "That doesn't seem like you."

  He shrugged, waving the blade in a lazy circle near his leg. "I figured one girl and her horse were no match for a trained Rider with a sword."

  K'lrsa smiled, channeling the flare of rage she felt at his dismissal of her status as a Rider. "Good. Because you and I have a matter to settle."

  "Do we?" He circled to her right, waving the sword to distract her, but she focused on his hips, ready for any sign that he was about to attack.

  "You killed my father."

  He laughed. "Oh that. Miserable waste of air, that man."

  She suppressed the anger that burned through her veins and threatened to blind her.

  Now wasn't the time to let her emotions rule her. If she did that, she'd lose.

  And she wasn't going to lose.

  "I swore a vow to Father Sun that I'd kill the man responsible for his death."

  "Did you now?" He lashed at her with the blade, barely even trying, the swipe a lazy flicker of movement.