The Shirite soldiers were closing in around her. She couldn’t see Brim anymore, and the sounds of Yama’s magic had become lost to the drone of foreign shouts. She was alone, drowning in a sea of enemy greens and reds. Where were her comrades? Were none left?
Liza let out a moan as her shield was knocked away. She groped for it, but the metal wedge rolled out of her reach. She clutched her sword, now her only means of defense against the horde, and fought on. Pain shot up her leg and then across her side as blows landed in rapid succession against her leather armor, but she didn’t stop. She refused to.
Keep fighting. Don’t stop. Don’t give up.
She cut down another man. And then another. An enemy shield slammed against the side of her face, the impact leaving her seeing stars. Hot blood trickled down her cheek and weariness racked her body, but still she didn’t stop. The thought of leaving her brothers alone kept her afloat.
Don’t give up. The boys still need you!
A sharp pressure burst between her shoulder blades and through her chest. Pain lanced her body, the agony like nothing she’d felt before. Liza gasped. She couldn’t breathe! Why couldn’t she get any air?
Her hands instinctively shot to her sternum, where a rigid edge jutted through a break in her armor. She ran a hand over the protrusion, shuddering when hot, thick liquid smeared her fingertips. Somewhere in the back of her muddled conscience, Liza knew what it was and why she should be terrified, but her mind and body had both gone numb.
Shadows clouded her vision. Liza blinked, an attempt to fend against the darkness, but she was so damned tired—and the ground beneath her was so very soft, cradling her body like a warm embrace, tempting her to sleep. She couldn’t recall when she’d laid down, but suddenly it didn’t matter.
Time slowed to a crawl. Had a moment passed or an eternity? She was supposed to be doing something, only she no longer knew what. Somewhere in the distance were voices—shouting, perhaps? No. Not shouting. Laughing. It was her brothers, calling for her to come play.
The boys were young again as they dashed toward her without a care in the world, and Liza smiled, happy to see them. Their tiny, outstretched hands beckoned for her, soothing and inviting. With a heavy sigh, Liza set her cheek against the sand, and her eyes fluttered shut as she broke free of the world and raced off to join them.
Chapter Nine
“Hasain.”
The voice came slithering out of the darkness like the hiss of a viper. Hasain’s eyes burst open, woken from a restless, tormented slumber. He was certain something had just brushed against his foot, but when he glanced into the shadows, he could see nothing.
The forms of his sleeping comrades stood out against the bedchamber walls, but none of them appeared to be awake. Even Deegan’s bodyguard, who’d been assigned to sit post by the door, slouched upon his stool with his chin tucked to his chest. Light snores lifted around his motionless body.
Sneering, Hasain rolled onto his side. Useless. The men Morathi had assigned were completely useless. Closing his eyes, Hasain tried to will himself back to sleep.
“Hasain Radek.”
Hasain sat up, gasping for air. Something had just touched his face. He was sure of it. He looked around wildly. Was someone playing a trick?
Tular, the most likely culprit, lay asleep on the floor beside Joel. Deegan was tucked safely in the innermost corner of the room, with Koal and Natori propped against the wall on either side of the young prince’s bed. Not one of them stirred. It couldn’t have been any of Hasain’s comrades who’d touched him. But then who—
“You know who I am.”
A shudder ran down Hasain’s spine as the world shrank away, leaving him terrified and vulnerable. He couldn’t hear the guard’s faint snoring. He couldn’t even see the pinpricks of starlight through the worn curtains above. He was alone in the dark, alone with the demon.
“The hour grows late. Will you still deny me?”
The lilting voice floated around Hasain, jumping from place to place, but even though he couldn’t see the demon, Hasain knew the treacherous being was in the room. The tiny, rigid hairs on his arms told him as much.
“How stubborn are you? Are you waiting for it to happen?”
Hasain knew better than to engage the demon, but he couldn’t stop himself. “Waiting for what to happen? What do you know?”
“I have a difficult time believing you really are this naïve, Radek’s heir.”
Shadows churned in the air, thickening, taking form. Hasain choked back a cry, watching in horror as the demon materialized before his eyes.
The Demon Leviticus looked human—almost. But the pair of silver eyes, glowing like some kind of deranged beast, and smooth, alabaster skin that lacked any true pigmentation betrayed the creature for what he really was.
Leviticus floated around the room, as light as a seed on the breeze, and long wisps of rich auburn flowed freely around his shoulders. Cold laughter trickled down the walls, making Hasain shiver where he sat.
In one graceful swoop, the demon glided to the floor, coming to rest within an arm’s length of Deegan’s prone form. Leviticus lifted one slender hand, as if he meant to touch the Crown Prince.
Hasain leapt to his feet, sword in hand, and pointed at the demon. “Get away from my brother!”
He all but screeched the words, yet inside the chamber, no one stirred.
A treacherous smile spread across the demon’s face. “Ah! Now there’s a bit of your sire showing through. Rishi was always clever when he had his head about him, but one small push and—” Leviticus cackled, taunting Hasain. “That fiery temper almost got him killed more than once.”
“Shut your mouth! Stop talking about him! My father was a good and wise king. He had the courage to deny you. You don’t deserve to address him so lightly!”
“Wise king or not, Rishi Radek was no saint.” Leviticus paused, sweeping the room with a shrewd eye. His gaze lingered on Natori. “Where’s her counterpart? He’s not dead, is he?”
“Of course he’s not! Why do you care?”
“They’re most powerful when together. Why aren’t both of your precious ‘Blessed Mages’ here with your Crown Prince?”
Hasain hesitated. This had to be some kind of trick. The demon was clever. Why did he care about the Blessed Mages? Was he searching for information that could bring harm to Deegan?
Hasain shook his head, refusing to answer. “That is none of your concern.”
Leviticus narrowed his eyes. “Still determined to die, I see. It would seem the entirety of Arden truly is run by idiots.”
“For the moment perhaps. But he’ll be dethroned soon.”
“Ah, yes, the buffoon playing the part of a king. How do you live with yourself? Have you no courage to uphold your father’s honor? I’ve seen this Neetra Adelwijn. Surely even you could best him in hand-to-hand combat.”
“There are laws in place. I can’t just slay the man and claim the throne!”
“No? But isn’t that precisely how mortals gain their power? Whoever has the bigger army, whoever commands the most respect, whoever is the most feared, takes what he desires. Humanity has built its empires on such methodology. Why should you be any different?”
“Because I’m a Radek, not a barbarian!”
“You’re a coward. Time marches forward, Hasain. It halts for no one. Whether you act or not, the future will come to pass. The fate of your family is still uncertain, but know this—should you live and they die, you’ll have only yourself to blame. Will you be able to live with yourself if you stand by and do nothing?”
Hasain lowered his sword, the blade suddenly too heavy to hold upright. His mind whirled as he tried to think of something to say. What could he say? He wasn’t clever enough to outwit Leviticus. He could feel it in his heart. Why had his father entrusted him with the red stone? He wasn’t strong or brave enough for this. Rishi had been wrong to place his faith in such a fool.
Hasain swallowed down the hard l
ump in his throat. The demon was right. He was a coward. His father would have been disgusted to see him now. “Go away. Leave me alone.”
Leviticus flashed one final leer, revealing two rows of white, pointed teeth. “Very well. If you insist. Let’s hope the rest of your family’s bravery exceeds your own. They’ll need it if they’re to survive.” Eliciting one final guffaw, the demon ghosted a hand across Deegan’s forehead.
Hasain cried out in protest. “Don’t touch him!” Enraged, he lunged at the wicked creature—
—and sat up on the lounge for the second time that night.
Hasain fought to bring his ragged breaths under control as he looked around. Everything appeared undisturbed. Joel and Tular lay precisely as they had a moment before. Likewise, Koal and Natori still slept with their backs to the wall, and Deegan shifted restlessly in his bed. Had it all been nothing but a horrible dream?
With trembling hands, Hasain reached into the deep pocket of his robe. The weight of the stone within terrified him. He shuddered. Was the stone pulsating between his fingers, or was it merely his mind slipping away from him?
Whether or not the demon’s visit had been imagined, sleep was leagues away now. Hasain stood, wobbling as he picked his way around the others, being careful not to wake them. He paused at the door, and for a moment he considered backhanding the guard who was meant to be standing watch. Instead, he opted to slip past the snoozing sentinel, down the corridor, and through the front door. It wasn’t worth the spectacle that would surely ensue, and Hasain didn’t feel like explaining to the others why he was awake.
Tepid, dry air washed over Hasain as he stepped outside. When he opened his mouth to take a breath, tiny grains of sand tickled the back of his throat. The dust in the south never seemed to settle, not even in the dead of night. His hands went to his belt, finding the leather bladder he kept fastened there. Lifting it to his parched lips, he groaned when only the slightest amount of water trickled forth. Chhaya’s bane. He’d meant to refill the damn thing earlier.
Hasain peered across the courtyard, encroached by shadow. The village well was only just out of sight. It would take but a moment to walk there. He could refill his wineskin and be back before anyone realized he was missing.
The red stone sat heavily in his pocket, its weight ever-present and crushing upon Hasain’s soul. His fingers twitched with the sudden urge to be rid of the wretched thing altogether. Surely if he dropped the stone into the well, it would sink to the bottom. The demon couldn’t plague Hasain if he was no longer in possession of the stone, could it?
Hasain dipped one hand inside his pocket, fingers brushing over the rigid edges of the stone as he debated. He could throw the thing away and be done with it here and now. But what if someone else discovered it moonturns—even years—later? The stone’s fate was bound to the Radek bloodline. Would it somehow find its way back to him, even if Hasain cast it away? Would he even be able to get rid of it? In all the years Rishi had been in possession of the stone, he hadn’t seemed to be able to escape the demon within. Perhaps Hasain was a fool to believe he could so easily be done with the creature.
The manor door creaked behind him.
“Hasain?” Deegan’s soft voice called. “Is that you?”
Hasain yanked his hand free of his pocket. “What are you doing out here?”
The Crown Prince stepped away from the door, rubbing at his sleepy eyes. In the moonlight, Hasain could just make out his brother’s ruffled umber hair and dimpled cheeks. “I could ask you the same thing,” Deegan replied, one eyebrow ticking as he moved closer.
Hasain flinched. Deegan hadn’t seen him fidgeting with the stone, had he? “I couldn’t sleep. I was thirsty. And that room was too damn hot.” It was the truth, somewhat.
“It’s always hot here in the south.” Deegan paused when he reached Hasain’s side, staring beyond the courtyard into the dark village. A rebellious yawn escaped his mouth, and he pressed a hand against his lips in an attempt to stifle it. “I wish we could sneak to the river and go for a swim. But if Koal found out where we’d been, he’d have both of us flogged.”
“He’d probably do the honors himself.” Hasain let out a weary sigh. “You shouldn’t be out here. Where’s your guard?”
“Asleep on his stool. You know that.”
Hasain did his best to ignore the jab of sorrow in his gut. Deegan’s sly smile was so reminiscent of their father’s it sometimes hurt to behold. “You need to stay safe. You shouldn’t be sneaking around without a proper escort.”
“There’s no safe place and you know it. Neetra sent me here in the hope of getting rid of me for good.”
“We’ll protect you. You don’t have to worry.”
“Don’t try to spoon feed me sweet lies. I’m not a child anymore.”
“I’m not lying.” Hasain pointed back toward the manor. “You know there isn’t a single person in that chamber who wouldn’t take death’s blow for you.”
Deegan swallowed and turned his face away, like he might be ashamed to meet Hasain’s gaze. “I don’t want any of you to do that.”
“I know, but that doesn’t change anything. We’ve all chosen to come with you. You’re our beloved prince, and Arden is our home. We’re here to protect you and, therefore, her.”
Moonlight filtered down from the cloudless sky. In the faint glow, Deegan’s eyes glistened. He raked a sleeve across his cheek and looked up at Hasain. “What if I’m not worth protecting? I–I’ve never been to war before. I haven’t ridden into battle. I’ve taken weaponry lessons with Weapons Master Roland, but it’s not the same as facing a real enemy who means to kill me. What if I can’t do it? What if I run away? What if I end up being the same kind of coward as Neetra?”
“You are no such thing, Deegan. You’re not a coward, and you’re certainly nothing like Neetra.”
“But I–I’m afraid. I wish I were brave like Father always was.”
Hasain willed his voice to remain steady. “You’re braver than you realize. Just like Father. Your heart is the same as his. I can see it. Someday, you’re going to make a good, honorable king.”
Deegan cast a troubled gaze to the ground. “If I live that long.”
Hasain clenched his hands as rash anger shook him to the core. It wasn’t fair. Deegan shouldn’t have to be worrying about whether or not he would live to see another sunrise. He was just a boy, for Daya’s sake. This was far more than any thirteen-year-old should have to bear.
“You will live.” Hasain set a hand on his brother’s small shoulder. “You can trust me when I say that. I’d never allow harm to come to you. Whatever it takes, I swear I’ll keep you safe.”
“I know.”
Hasain stared into the darkness, lost in thought. The distant song of crickets and the gentle trickle of the Nishika did little to cast away his apprehension.
He’d meant what he said. He would do all he could to keep his little brother safe. But was his best really good enough? Would he actually be able to protect Deegan when it came down to it? Hasain’s weakness had already shown through since the King’s death. He’d all but failed his father. He couldn’t fail Deegan, too.
Hasain touched the outside of the pocket where the red stone lay. He could almost hear the demon’s silken voice in his head. “Should you live and they die, you’ll have only yourself to blame. Will you be able to live with yourself if you stand by and do nothing?”
No. Deegan needed to live, by any means necessary. Hasain’s hand dropped limply to his side. He wouldn’t attempt to cast the demon away just yet. Just in case—Hasain hated himself for even contemplating the idea of calling upon the creature for help, but if it meant the difference between his brother living and dying, how could anyone fault him?
Deegan looked up, his eyes free of tears, and the emotions he’d displayed moments before buried beneath a perfectly placed mask. “I think we need to go back inside now. They’re waiting for us.”
Hasain glanced over his shoulder
. Just inside the open door, two sets of eyes peered through the darkness. Natori and Tular stood like living statues, with arms folded over their chests and mouths set in thin lines. It seemed Deegan hadn’t escaped unnoticed after all.
Hasain gave his brother a nudge on the arm. “Come on then, let’s go.”
Deegan nodded grudgingly.
“A little late for a stroll in the courtyard, don’t you think?” Natori asked as the two brothers slunk through the door.
Tular cuffed the back of Deegan’s head and reserved a narrow glare for Hasain. “Neither of you should be wandering around alone. What were you thinking?”
Hasain shrugged, feigning indifference. He couldn’t explain himself. He couldn’t tell them the real reason sleep evaded him or why he’d increasingly been seeking out solitude these past moonturns.
“We were just talking,” Deegan explained. “I couldn’t sleep. I saw Hasain leave and just wanted a moment of fresh air. Sorry.”
Tular let out a snort. “You’ll really be sorry if Koal wakes up. Now come on, back into bed, scamp, before your absence is noticed.”
With a resigned sigh, Deegan pushed past them and disappeared into the dark corridor. Tular followed at the young prince’s heels.
Natori shifted her attention toward Hasain. “We should all return to bed. Sleep deprivation won’t do us any favors. Now, more than ever, we need to keep our wits about us.”
“You’re right, of course,” Hasain replied. “It’s already past midnight, and dawn comes early in the south.”
“These last few moonturns have been difficult. It is unfair that such heavy burdens have been placed onto your family, but you are not alone. None of you are. If ever you seek counsel, know that I am here for you.”
Hasain lowered his eyes. He didn’t want to talk about this, not with her or Koal or anyone else. They didn’t know what he was going through. Not really anyway. “I’m of no importance. I’m only the bastard son of a dead king. Deegan is the one who needs counsel. He’s the heir—Arden’s future. Your focus should always be on his protection.”
Battle Dawn: Book Three of the Chronicles of Arden Page 18
