Shadow's Voice

by Natalie Johanson

  “Girly.”

  Rose’s hand went back to her dagger as she spun around in the alley.

  “C’mere, girly.”

  Rose’s eyes fell on an older woman skin so dark it was as if she absorbed the darkness of the alley. Her skirts were long, tattered, full of tans and browns with bright stripes of yellow and green.

  “You’re a long way from home.” Rose spoke as she slowly approached the woman leaning against the building. “Your people do not usually cross the Invius Mountains this late in the year.”

  She chuckled lowly. “Yes, our troop returns soon before the snows arrive. Have you found a home yet, wanderer?”

  Rose stopped with a jerk.

  The strange woman cackled and pushed her wild, curly hair away from her eyes. “Do you want to hear your fortune?”

  “No.”

  “No? There are no seers left in this broken country. Your ancestors hunted them all. How could you turn away from the chance to hear from a true Seer?”

  “I don’t want to know my future.” Rose turned away, but the woman gripped her arm and Rose was rooted to the spot.

  “Maybe I want to tell you your future now, girly, so when you find yourself needing me you will know what to do.”

  “Why would I need you?” Rose asked, still rooted to her spot, as if her limbs had lost the desire to move.

  “Oh,” the woman breathed. “Now you want to know.”

  Rose frowned at her. “I didn’t say that.”

  The woman’s grip on her arm tightened and all gentleness left her face. “Yes,” she said firmly and tugged on Rose’s arm. “You did.”

  Rose tried to pull away, but she was frozen in place.

  “One day your past will return to you. You will think she has answers but,” the Seer grunted, “you will need Madame Ode. Remember: when your past looks you in the face, you will need me.”

  Rose tried to pull her arm back, but Ode’s grip was solid, unbreakable, almost without effort.

  Ode tapped a long finger on Rose’s nose. “You have potential. So much potential. You may bring back a forgotten time, if you can grow up.”

  Ode stepped back and released Rose’s arm. She staggered back a step and rubbed her arm, now numb and tingling where the Seer’s hand had been.

  “Remember me, girly,” Ode grinned at her and turned away, walking slowly down the dim alley.

  Rose watched the woman go, her breathing fast. She shoved her hands into her pockets and, with a deep breath, turned back to her horse, forgotten by the shop.

  Rose patted Starlit’s neck and tried to hold back the tears that were creeping up her throat. She leaned against her giant horse. What past? What part of her past? Did that mean her father would find her? But the Seer had said “she.” Who? Certainly not her mother. Rose’s lip curled at the thought.

  Rose pulled herself up into the saddle and slowly turned back to the castle. The short ride did little to settler her rolling stomach. Rose hadn’t thought Seers existed still in the world. They were rarer than Tracers, but there was no doubt in her that woman was a true Seer.

  “Riddles,” Rose hissed to herself. “Blasted riddles.”

  If the Seer had wanted to actually help, couldn’t she have just given a straight answer? Rose shook herself and dismissed the woman’s words. Without more context, they meant nothing to her, and Rose had too much to deal with now to bother with half-understood ramblings. Not with Marik so close.

  The sun was starting to lower when Rose made it back to the castle grounds. Captain Sayla was standing next to the door as Rose pulled Starlit into the stables.

  “You were not gone long.”

  Rose slid off Starlit and handed her horse off to the waiting stable boy. “No, my afternoon was soured a bit.”

  Captain Sayla watched Rose as she rolled her shoulders. Marik. Ode. The king. So many people bothering her, wanting something from her, demanding things from her. She wanted so badly to be left alone, for a simple life. Why couldn’t she find that?

  Rose felt the captain’s gaze and tried to ignore the captain’s stare. She started toward the castle and the captain fell in step with her. “I was wondering if I may ask you something.”

  Rose held back a sharp retort, but her jaw still clenched. “Oh?”

  “If you’re going to stay for a while, I would like to offer you a temporary position with my officers. Doing small tasks, perhaps, while you consider what to do next.” The captain paused and glanced at her. “You’d be paid, of course.”

  Rose stayed silent. She couldn’t stay. Not for long, but if she wanted to truly disappear into another country she would need money. Marik showing up here, finding her, it all proved she hadn’t gone far enough.

  “I don’t intend to stay long, but I’ll take your coin while you’re offering it. After this is settled, after I have my answers I will move on.” I will move on until I find a place no one who knows me can find me, she thought even as she felt the captain’s eyes on her. Perhaps I’ll go south across the border. That would certainly be well out of my father’s path.

  The captain was silent for the rest of the walk to the Light Wing. Rose opened the door to the common room and Captain Sayla put a light hand on her arm. “Child,” she spoke more gently than Rose had thought possible for the gruff woman. “I can hear the panic coming from you. I can practically taste it, like sour meat, in the back of my throat. What happened today?”

  Rose stared at the woman’s hazel eyes. “Nothing.” She slipped into the common room without another word.

  Rose waited in the practice ring for Archie. She was angry she hadn’t slept, and hadn’t slept because she was so angry, and at the heart of it all she was despondent. Now, she stood in the early morning chill tired and stiff and seething. Rose wanted to hit something. A lot. For a long time. Marik showing up in town . . . she’d worked too hard to run from this. She’d gotten too far for it to come right back.

  She was clenching her hands when Archie finally walked into the ring.

  “Morning, Tiny.”

  Rose rolled her shoulders and nodded to the giant.

  “Madame Rita informed me of your injuries. Until you get the full okay from her, let’s work on your less dominant arm.” Archie handed her a shorter blade, just a little longer than her arm. “I think you’ll get on with this saber better.”

  Rose held the lighter sword awkwardly with her left hand. “All right, so now what?”

  Archie raised a bushy eyebrow at her but pointed at a large wooden practice dummy. “Start with some swings at that and warm up a little. Get used to using your nondominant arm. Then we’ll start on some exercises.”

  Rose gripped the pommel and hefted the wooden short sword up. She leveled the blade at the dummy and swung. It slammed into the wood and the shock ran all the way up Rose’s arm. She leveled the sword at the target and swung again. Another numbing shock. Again and again, Rose attacked it with all her frustration and anger and disappointment. Her arm burned. Her back burned. Sweat fell into her eyes and rolled down her back, making her hand slick. She swung her sword over and over as hard as she could.

  Rose swung one last time and let the sword dip to the ground. She stood there panting and huffing with sweat pouring down her. Her injured shoulder was on fire again, but she felt better.

  “Having a bad day, Tiny?”

  Rose glanced at Archie and asked her own question. “Have you ever wished to disappear?”

  “No, not I.” Archie walked over and gently took the saber from her. “I was never much for running.”

  Rose shivered as her sweat cooled in the cold breeze. “I don’t wish to run.”

  “Don’t. I heard Mariah extended you an offer. Take it,” he told her.

  Rose took the offered towel. She wiped her fac
e and stared at the ground.

  “Whatever you’re hiding from, you must face it eventually. You cannot run forever.”

  Rose looked at him but didn’t speak. Oh, how she wanted to stop, but after years of moving around she didn’t know how to stay still anymore, didn’t know if she could take that risk. Rose wasn’t sure she knew how to, even if she wanted to.

  “That’s all we’ll do today. I don’t want to overwork your arm after your tantrum.”

  Rose narrowed her eyes at him. “I didn’t have a tantrum.”

  Archie started walking away. “You did. But your secret is safe with me.”

  Rose stuck her tongue out before slowly making her way to the baths. She was sweaty and sticky and sore . . . and more than a little exhausted. A long soak in some hot water before passing out in her room was all she wanted.

  Chapter 22

  We need more information.”

  “The woman doesn’t have any more.” Captain Sayla’s voice was harsh.

  “But how can we be sure? Gregory hardly spent any time with her.” Anita, Micah’s advisor, argued against the captain.

  “Because she doesn’t have any more information. I was there. I was listening to her.”

  Micah rubbed his face. The second he’d walked into the study a tick had started in his right eye. It was getting worse. Anita and Mariah arguing did not help. He repressed the urge to press the heel of his hand against his eye and glanced out the window.

  “That is a lie!” Mariah was shouting.

  Micah groaned and looked over at Mariah. Her face was red and her jaw was clenched.

  “Please, ladies.”

  “Sire, we need to speak with the prisoner again. I know the captain believes the woman has no more information, but I think she . . . may have . . . withheld information.”

  Micah tried not to clench his own jaw. “I have complete faith in Captain Sayla’s abilities.” He raised his voice to talk over Anita as she started to protest. “This is not open for discussion.”

  Anita gave a reluctant nod. Jacob’s chin dipped down to his chest and he jerked upright, only to have his chin sink back down to his chest. A soft snore broke the silence. Micah glared at the old advisor. The man slept through the majority of meetings now. When he managed to stay awake he had invaluable knowledge, but that was an increasingly rare occurrence.

  “That’ll be all Anita, Jacob.” He waited until the two left before addressing Ben. “Send for General Arboh please.”

  “Yes, Sire.”

  Captain Sayla turned to Micah. “I keep saying this: you are your own King; you should create your own staff.”

  Micah looked over at his friend. “I know, but finding advisors I can trust that have the experience . . . I’ve had to replace so much staff, Mariah. Eventually, I will. What did she say that made you so angry? I . . . was distracted.”

  “I noticed. She said—” Captain Sayla waved it away. “It’s no matter.”

  Micah looked at his friend. “I would say it is. What was said?”

  “She is a nasty woman. I know better than to listen to her.”

  The twitch in Micah’s eye returned. He took a deep breath. Changing topics, Micah turned to the matter of Simone. “I have an idea for the assassination. You will not like it.”

  She eyed him. “And General Arboh’s presence?”

  “He is another perspective.” Micah folded his arms. “I saw Miss Trewin riding Starlit yesterday. How did she do?”

  Captain Sayla quirked her lips in a small smile at him. “The horse or Miss Trewin?”

  Micah chuckled. “I was asking after Miss Trewin, but tell me how Starlit did as well.”

  Mariah smiled at him finally. “She handled Starlit just fine, couldn’t ride for long. Her injuries are still healing. The horse even listened to her, a little.”

  “I’m surprised. Starlit is difficult.”

  “That’s one word for her,” the captain said dryly.

  Micah came to stand in front of his desk as General Arboh, a tall burly man with dark dusky skin marking him as a man from the plains, walked in.

  “General,” he said in greeting.

  “Sire,” the general rumbled.

  Micah stared at the floor before speaking, gathering his thoughts for what he knew was an idea they would dislike. “I have an idea.”

  “Will I like this idea?” General Arboh asked. “That tone says I probably won’t.”

  Micah shook his head with a soft grin. “No, you probably won’t. I want to continue with the ball. We know the assassin will strike then. We know Lord Damian will most likely be moving any troops he has to coordinate with my death at the ball, when most of the lords will be in attendance and in one city. We can use this to our advantage. If we capture the assassin, use him to confirm troop movements—we could finally be a step ahead for a change.”

  Captain Sayla groaned and covered her eyes with her hand. “The king being bait is a terrible idea,” she murmured. King Micah ignored her.

  “How shall we proceed, then, if we are to do this?” General Arboh dragged over a chair and seated himself in front of Micah.

  Micah rubbed his face again. He walked over to the far wall, to the large oak cabinet and poured a glass of mulled wine. He took a long swallow before turning back to them. “We will need to increase the guards, obviously.”

  “Perhaps have them dress as guests? They would not be noticed.”

  Micah tipped his glass at the general. “Excellent, Stephan. Work with the head of my guard, Aaron. Assign the people you are comfortable with. Increase the ground security and the uniformed officers in the halls as well. Use the infantry if you need.”

  Stephan nodded. “We’ll have a plan for you by the end of the week.”

  “Micah.”

  He looked at Mariah.

  “You should invite Miss Trewin. She’s the one who’s seen the assassin. If we have a chance of stopping him before your life is risked, it’s with her help.”

  Micah nodded and swallowed the last of his wine. “She is proving to be more helpful then we first thought,” he murmured. “Ask her if she’s willing.”

  “Sire, we need her help. We can’t afford for her to say no.” Mariah stood in from of him. “You are her king. You could—”

  “She will not,” he cut her off and dropped his glass heavily to the table, “stay if she does not want to, if she feels there is no choice. If we ask her, and allow her even the illusion of a choice, she will be less inclined to simply leave. I want her help, but we must tread carefully with her.” He stood straight. “Ask her. If she refuses, I will speak with her.”

  Mariah frowned, but she nodded.

  “General, I also would like your officers to begin patrolling north of the capital to the Invius Mountains as well as the southern border with Rosemund Province. If they are marching from camps in the swamps, like Rose heard, they are most likely going to cross that border.”

  “Of course, Sire.”

  Micah looked out the small window overlooking the courtyard. He could see just the tips of the taller bushes from the window. The sun was setting already? Where had the day gone? “That’s all for tonight.”

  The two bowed and retreated from the room. Micah returned to the cabinet and refilled his glass. His headache was worse and the twitch in his eye was intolerable. He wanted nothing more than to sleep until tomorrow afternoon, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to. Just like all the other nights, he’d end up staring at his ceiling. He stared out the small window overlooking the courtyard and glimpsed the Rose Gardens. It was getting darker sooner; summer was on its way out. The night was still warm, but the cool wind promised colder days coming. Micah picked up his glass only to set it down again and leave his study. His two guards peeled away from the wal
ls and took up positions flanking him as he headed down the corridor toward the main doors. If he was going to spend the whole night awake, he might as well do it in the gardens staring at the sky for a change.

  Chapter 23

  Rose sipped some of the bitter berry tea. She wrinkled her nose and sniffed the light green liquid. This really isn’t good. Rose took another sip and grimaced. Maybe if I added some honey?

  A knock came from her door. Rose looked at the door but didn’t bother getting up from her bed. “Come.”

  Her door opened and the captain slipped inside. Rose met her eyes. “Yes, ma’am?”

  Captain Sayla closed the door and set a bundle of ledgers on her small desk wedged between the wall and her bed. “I said I’d offer you work temporarily. You’ll balance the officer ledgers.”

  Rose looked from the captain to the pile of ledgers. “What’s in them?”

  Captain Sayla pulled the small chair out from the desk and sat across from her. “The officers’ pay, inventory, order requests and such; everything that pertains to the Light Horse.”

  Rose grimaced at the pile of papers.

  “You said you’re a merchant’s daughter,” she said when Rose stared silently at the papers. “You know your figures? Bookkeeping?”

  Rose nodded. “Yes but . . . who kept these before?”

  Captain Sayla looked a little sheepish. “It usually fell to the First Lieutenant, but I haven’t filled the position since Lieutenant Eivan transferred to the cavalry.”

  “And how long ago was that?” she asked wearily.

  The captain hesitated before answering. “Nearly a year. And I can’t speak to how well he did it before. It was one of his more disliked responsibilities.”

  Rose groaned and put aside her tea. “And who’s been keeping the ledgers since he left?”

  “Well I’ve been filling them out as I’ve had the time but . . . .”