Dagger of Bone

by R. K. Thorne

  “Lara, one more thing before you go.” Pyaris edged into a corner away from the men and waved her close.

  “What?” She followed Pyaris, keeping her voice soft.

  “I don’t know what’s different about him, if it’s a crack, a lock, or whatever, but… You should really be careful. I’m not exaggerating when I say he doesn’t feel entirely human.”

  “I don’t know what to do with that. He seems pretty human to me.” She gestured at his form, all lean muscle and quiet, thoughtful strength being lifted from the bed onto the stretcher on the floor.

  “I don’t know what to do with it either. But I had to share it. I’d regret it if I didn’t. And I just want to say… you know his magic is strange. Unusual. I… Well, if it was a lock I sensed, please consider why it might have been put there in the first place. Maybe some locks aren’t supposed to be broken. Maybe the lock is holding something in.”

  “Like what?” She raised her eyebrows. “Pyaris, I—”

  “I know it sounds crazy. Just be careful, okay?”

  “I will.” She glanced over at the guards, who were almost finished. “Sorry about your bed.”

  Pyaris snorted. “Time to practice a little Water Float, don’t you think?”

  Lara grinned. “I hope it’s enough.”

  “But not so much that I can’t smell delicious boy for the next few hours.”

  “Pyaris!”

  “What?”

  “Nothing. Never mind.”

  And with that, the men had Nyalin loaded on the stretcher. She followed them to the door.

  “Lara,” Pyaris said, sobering. “Don’t forget what I said.”

  “I won’t! Goodbye, my friend.” Lara waved and headed out again into the night.

  Two days after the failed attack, Unira had made her preparations to travel the day’s ride from the silk farms and her estate into the Salt City. No horse was comfortable holding Zama, though, so they took a carriage down into the basin and across the plain.

  In the end, she was glad she’d taken the carriage anyway. He was too handsome, too strange. People might suspect something. Or talk. Or look at him sideways.

  They arrived at the Obsidian mansion around nightfall and forced their way in. Of course, Vanae had her objections, and Unira kept her own house in the city, but they weren’t going to stay long.

  “Raelt.” Unira sank into an orange armchair by the window and steepled her fingers. “Bring him.”

  Vanae froze. “Why?”

  Unira’s gaze only hardened.

  “No, Unira—please—I beg you—”

  Zama’s expression was hard. “Produce him, or I shall. I don’t think you will prefer my methods.”

  Nodding, Vanae trudged up the stairs.

  Barely a few moments later, the young man came down. Slowly, pausing at the bottom of the steps, eye cold and wary, left hand shaking. Afraid.

  He should be.

  “We gave you an extraordinary dagger,” Unira started. “Did we not?”

  “You did,” he murmured.

  “And the exact location. And a team of men to help you. And what did you accomplish?”

  He swallowed. “Nothing. I apologize, clanswoman.”

  Her rage flared for a moment. How could any gnat of a child be so hard to kill? She waited until she’d calmed to speak again. “What happened?”

  “He vanished.”

  “Vanished?” said Zama, more dubious than ever.

  “He somehow leapt from right in front of me on the bridge, into the air, then fell in the water. But he never came out. I also didn’t hear him go in. We searched the bottom, and for several miles up and downstream we kept watch. There was no way we missed him.”

  Oh, she doubted very much that that was true, but she did believe he’d disappeared. Something strange was up with that boy, and it was more than his mother’s strange blood. Although Linali had pulled her share of vanishing acts, if Unira let herself be honest about it.

  If she didn’t know better, she’d think he had someone watching out for him. Actively thwarting her efforts. Keeping him alive.

  A damned thorn in her side.

  She faked a yawn. “What do you think, my friend?” She didn’t use his name around others, especially around one like Raelt. It wasn’t a simple necromantic spell, but knowing a demon’s name was key to taking control of them, and she didn’t need a battle over that right now. “Should we kill him or just make him suffer a little?”

  Raelt’s eyes widened, but to his credit, he didn’t move.

  Zama looked at Raelt, those silver eyes boring like needles. “Just kill him.”

  “No!” Vanae rushed down the stairs. Meanwhile, Raelt had gone white and very still. “You promised—” Vanae cut herself short, as Raelt had never been privy to details of their plans against Grel. Mostly because Unira knew they wouldn’t work out for Raelt the way Vanae thought they would. “By Seluvae, please—”

  Zama burst into laughter. “It doesn’t take much to get her goat, does it?”

  Unira smiled. “No, indeed.” She waved at them like the annoyances they were. “Do with them what you will. I suppose he can live. This time.”

  Zama chuckled again, cracked his knuckles, and approached.

  “Have your fun, and then take a portal back to our estate. He certainly can’t stay here.”

  “Wait—what does that mean? Why can’t he stay here?” Vanae was frantic.

  “Her too.” Unira ignored her and gazed out the window. Thank the goddesses for the Silent Sphere spell. And for the whole damn sound sphere while she was at it, one of the few conventional schools of spells that she made use of.

  It was just so handy for quieting the screams, she couldn’t resist.

  Chapter 10

  Empty

  Nyalin opened his eyes to the light of dawn filtering down between broad green leaves. Plants wound up walls made of stacked sticks and across slats of a narrow trellis high above him. The sound of water trickling through the walls tickled his ears. The air was rich and wet and humid. He blinked. Where was he?

  The only familiar feeling was a ball of warmth near his calf. He lifted his head and sure enough, Smoke was snuggled beside him on an unfamiliar cot. As he scanned the strange place, he spotted Lara reclined in a woven chair to his right with what looked like a sketchbook in her lap. She frowned at it and pursed her lips. He could imagine kissing those lips, smacking one on her as she frowned and surprising her into giggling. Her eyes would go suddenly bright, and—

  Whoa. Like it or not, there was not going to be any kissing. She was effectively promised to someone else. He needed to focus on casting even one basic spell. Or simply not dying. Winning her hand was a fool’s daydream.

  Still. It was the middle of the day, and it was past time he admitted he had a thing for her, so perhaps fool was a fitting label.

  He permitted himself to watch her a few moments longer, sans dreams. She was so rarely unguarded like this, relaxed, that the seconds ticking by seemed precious. She frowned at some part of the sketch, biting her lip, which only made him want to bite it for her.

  He took another deep, ragged breath. He was ridiculous.

  The air was humid, crisp, and scented with cedar. Was that the wood around them? Seemingly annoyed at the drawing, Lara threw down her chalk, wiped off her hands, and picked up a small black book that had been resting open beside her.

  After another moment’s indulgence, he decided to sit up and surprise her. A shot of pain coupled with her startled look helped him remember that that was a terrible idea. He groaned involuntarily as he let himself fall back down. He was staring at the ivy overhead in pain when her form leaned over him.

  A smile twisted her lips. “I leave you alone for one class…”

  “I think it was an entire day,” he replied.

  With a delicate feline yawn, Smoke chose that moment to rise, stretch, and leap onto his chest, peering into his face. “How did you get in here?” he murmured,
running a hand down her back.

  Lara shrugged. “She just wandered in. Who am I to argue with determination?”

  “Clearly even an hour alone is too much. You’ll just have to not leave my side.” What was he doing?

  “I should think that would get awkward sometimes.”

  “Awkward in a good way or a bad way?” Some things were awkward because they were new. New things could be good.

  She cocked her head to one side, eyes laughing. “A bit of both?” But she looked down to his stomach, sobering. “How are you feeling?”

  “Not dead.” At least not at the current moment.

  “Well, that’s always good. Low bar, though.”

  “I know. But you weren’t there for the attack.”

  “What happened?”

  It hurt, but he managed to prop himself up on his elbows. “You should have seen it. The entire Mushin army showed up at the Troker Gate. I fended them all off. Would have been fine except for this one scratch.”

  She snorted. “It’s a good thing we have you to defend us from the hordes.”

  He grinned, but then the memory of what had really happened sobered him up quickly. “It was my brother Raelt. And cronies.”

  “Really? I wish I could say I’m surprised.”

  “I am surprised. A little. He’s never been this direct. He can be cruel, vindictive, annoying, but it was always harassment, not real harm. Why now? Why try to actually kill me after all this time?”

  “Thank the Twins he didn’t.”

  “He wanted to. He was just getting started before…” His voice trailed off, not knowing how to explain. “Before.”

  “Before what?”

  He frowned. It was all a bit blurry, but when he thought back to the attack, it seemed as though his movement in the afterworld had moved him here in this world too. But how could he explain all that? Where did he start, when even the afterworld’s existence was hardly certain to someone who hadn’t seen it? “Uh. It’s all fuzzy. Maybe it will come back to me in a few minutes.” He sighed, and his stomach grumbled.

  “Of course. You need to rest.” She pushed his shoulder back down onto the cot. “Can I get you some food? Tea? Something stronger to ease the pain?” Her hand still rested on his shoulder as she studied his face.

  “Some simple food would be good. Please. If you wouldn’t mind.”

  “All right, hold on. I’ll be right back.” She rushed off without any of the hesitation she’d shown the time she fetched her father tea.

  While he waited, he breathed in the rich smell of water and cedar, ran his fingers over Smoke’s back as she curled up on his chest, and felt all the tension ooze out of him.

  Lara returned with broth and tea and helped him to a sitting position against a cushion to drink it. To his relief, he didn’t have to lean against the millions of piled sticks.

  As he sipped, she sat on the corner of his bed and looked around, taking a deep breath.

  “How long was I out?”

  “Two days and two nights.”

  “It’s relaxing in here.” It must have been, for him to sleep so long and so soundly.

  “Yes, that’s the idea.” She smiled. “It’s the Soothe spells.”

  “Ah. I thought it just smelled really good. Is that cedarwood?”

  She grinned. “No. The cedar’s my magic.”

  “Oh!” He’d caught the scent so often now. He should have realized.

  “Which reminds me, no one’s told you your scent yet, have they?”

  He raised his eyebrows. “You caught it? I mean, no one’s been able to sense it, so they certainly haven’t.”

  “It’s blackberries,” she said with a prim, self-satisfied nod. “Quite refreshing.”

  “Blackberries.” He blew out a breath. “I’ll be damned.”

  “You seem to have noticed it yourself a few times without realizing it was your magic.”

  He frowned. “I suppose I did.”

  “That’s a lucky scent, I’m sure of it. It could be a lot worse.”

  “It’s not cedar.”

  “I am blessed by Dala.”

  “But Grel’s is chocolate.”

  “Ooh,” Lara cooed, looking hungry.

  “It might sound good, but it is not a cool scent for a twelve-year-old boy to have.”

  “What’s Raelt’s? Maybe I can tease him the next time we’re together.”

  “Pepper.”

  “That figures. But not nearly as unpleasant as I’d hoped.”

  “I know. It suits. Too well.”

  He’d finished sipping and handed her the bowl, then eased back down. He was already feeling lightheaded from the effort.

  “Our best healer was by just a few hours ago. She had to recharge, but she’ll be back later. It’ll be a few more days before you’re well, though.”

  “Oh. Good.” That was lucky. He hadn’t expected the clan’s best healer. Or any healer at all. “I thought I was dead for sure.” Or… more dead. All the way dead? Permanently dead. He probably shouldn’t explain that just now.

  She put an end to his morbid thoughts as she eased onto the cot by his feet—ignoring, he noted, the perfectly functional lounge not five feet away. She scooted back and folded her legs, her thigh resting along his calf, the thick blanket a barrier between them. “I’m glad you are not. Would you have had regrets?”

  “Not learning magic, of course.”

  She nodded. “An obvious one.”

  He pressed his lips together, thinking. “Not having a family some day would be disappointing.”

  She nodded, said nothing.

  “Not figuring out who my father was. I’d really hate not to have finished that quest.”

  She tilted her head. “Are you searching hard to find out?”

  “I exhausted every avenue I could years ago, but I’m always looking for new ones. But the thought didn’t flash before my eyes as he stabbed me, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

  “What did?” she murmured.

  You.

  He said nothing for a long moment, searching for a believable lie while also wanting never to lie to her in the first place. “I… it doesn’t matter.”

  “Sorry. Too personal.”

  He shrugged. It wasn’t really; most things he would have told her. If it had been another woman, he’d have told her.

  But it hadn’t been. It had been her.

  He needed something to distract from the awkward chasm opening between them, so he searched for something else to cut open and bleed. “I just… It would have been nice to reach some level of accomplishment, you know? Be someone standing on my own two feet. Someone who was more than my mother’s son. I don’t think I ever will be, though.”

  “Don’t say that. We’ll solve this puzzle. We’ve only just begun trying.”

  “It’s not that. It’s just her reputation. It’s larger than life. I never will be more than her son. Even if I had all the magic she had and more.”

  Her eyes were deep with concern when he looked up to meet her gaze. “Maybe it would be better if you didn’t have any magic then. Maybe it’s better if we don’t find anything.”

  “What?” He frowned.

  “Not that that’s possible, because I know you have it. But if you didn’t, then you could just get on with being yourself. Making your own life on your own terms. What’s so wrong with being ordinary?”

  He tilted his head to one side. “I don’t know… I don’t think my mother would have wanted to give up all the good she could do for the world just to have a son that was… ordinary.”

  Now it was her turn to cock her head. “Are you sure? Having the weight of the world on your shoulders can’t be fun. Maybe she would be glad to give you a life more ordinary than hers. More peaceful. No demands from clan or emperor to pull you this way and that.” She looked away for a moment.

  That was a… very good point. “You are a unique woman, you know that?”

  She let out a sharp laugh. “Yes
, yes. Far from ordinary. But I’m hardly a woman, barely a girl. They all say I’m too dusty and too high up in the trees.”

  He snorted. “It doesn’t look that way to me.”

  Their gazes locked for a long moment, then she tore hers way, staring up again at the ivy and branches above. “Tell me. If you could leave the Salt City, where would you go? Anywhere in the empire. No, the world. Knowing you, you’ve read the geography of many places.”

  “I have, but— Leave? What do you mean, leave?”

  “You know what I mean. What if you left, took off? Just picked up and went. You could remake yourself. Don’t tell them Nyalin moLinali. Just Nyalin. Or something new.”

  He tilted his head the other way now. “I never even thought. I have no idea. I’d have to do some research, figure out how far I could get with five coppers to my name.” And one silver that shouldn’t have been there. Where had it come from?

  She snorted. “You’re too practical. You’re supposed to assume you could go wherever you wanted!”

  “Where would you go?” he said instead.

  Her eyes got dreamy. “The Hiven Mountains. It’s beautiful there. Crystal-blue lakes, green slopes.”

  “No city. Few people. Fewer books.” He pretended to shudder. “What would you do? Fish all day?”

  She giggled. “I don’t know. Take a walk? Swim? I didn’t get that far. I’ve never been fishing.”

  “I’ve never been out of the city.”

  “Really?”

  “Have you?”

  “Oh, yes. I—” She hesitated. “I had hoped to lead caravans. Explore.”

  “Really? All alone?”

  She laughed. “Oh no. Caravans are heavily guarded, and I’d have my magic. The clan’s territory includes several untamed regions. The desert is in the way, you see. Blocks our view of the beyond. But if I could just see past that… Well, there might be resources there. Something more than sand. Something to make us not the poorest clan anymore. And even if there aren’t resources, there might be new cities, new people more friendly to trade with than the Mushin.

  He rubbed his chin. “So it’s work for the clan.”