by Sharon Shinn
The guard was already halfway out the door. “I have to track down Zoe.”
Leah clutched at Yori’s shoulder. “No, you have to drive me to Darien’s!” she cried, her voice rising. Mally’s been taken? Mally’s been taken? Who took her? What’s happening? “I have to go— I have to see—”
Yori jerked free. “I’m sorry! I have to find Zoe.” And she vaulted into the elaymotive and was gone before Leah could even turn back to the others.
Who all looked stunned and puzzled. “What did she mean? Who is Mally?” Barlow asked.
“My daughter,” Leah said. Her lips felt so numb she could hardly speak the words. Terror was building in her chest, taking up so much space she couldn’t draw in air. Where’s Mally? What’s happened to Taro?
“Why would anyone take her?”
“I don’t know! This doesn’t make any sense! She’s— I can’t— Chandran, we have to get to the house— Maybe you can find an elaymotive for hire—”
“We’ve got a smoker car parked in the alley,” Jaker said. “We’ll drive you.”
• • •
Nothing made any sense once they arrived at Darien’s house, either. All the doors were open, so anyone could walk in off the street, but no one was available to answer questions. Servants were rushing around on urgent and mysterious tasks, and an air of palpable dread filtered through the hallways like rotting incense.
“Should we leave?” Leah heard Barlow ask in a low voice.
“Perhaps you might sit in some quiet corner,” Chandran suggested, “in case there is need for quick transport. If you have the time.”
“We’ll be happy to,” Jaker said.
Leah didn’t stay to get them settled or to show Chandran around the house. She bounded up the stairs and headed toward the room that Taro shared with Virrie when he was in residence. She’d only made it halfway down the hall when Rafe rose from a chair outside the door and came toward her with his arms outstretched.
“What happened?” she demanded from the safety of his hug. “What’s going on?”
“We’re not entirely sure,” he admitted, pulling her into a small seating area near the second-floor landing. “Taro and the girls were in the Plaza of Men shortly after noon. They didn’t have any guards with them because—because Taro’s a prime. He can protect himself and anybody who’s with him.”
Leah sank to a spindly chair that hardly looked solid enough to bear her weight. “But he couldn’t,” she breathed.
Rafe shook his head. “They were just leaving the booth of promises when four men came up behind them— This is what witnesses say, but the scene was very chaotic. Three of the men attacked Taro, apparently knocking him out before he even knew they were there, and continued to beat him once he’d gone down. Natalie tried to stop them and was shoved aside.” He took a deep breath. “The fourth man snatched Mally.”
Her stomach was clenched so hard she thought she would vomit on her shoes. “But why? Who? I don’t understand!”
“Nobody understands,” he said gravely. “But the witnesses say these men spoke to each other in a language that was neither Welchin nor Coziquela.”
She stared at him, uncomprehending.
He spoke in a low and compassionate voice. “It seems mostly likely that she was taken by the Karkans or the Soechins.”
Her stomach clenched again and she put a hand across her mouth to hold back the bile. “Seka Mardis,” she whispered. “And the prince. But why?”
“An attempt to force Darien’s hand, I suppose,” said Rafe. “To make him agree to terms that do not appeal to him. But the question remains. Why Mally? Why not Natalie, too? Or Natalie instead? It makes no sense.”
But Leah knew. All of a sudden, the pieces came together in her head—all of Seka’s questions, all the prince’s insinuations. She knew why they wanted Mally and knew that they had kidnapped the wrong girl. What would they do to Mally when they realized their mistake?
“Where’s Darien?” she asked abruptly. “Is he here yet?”
“In his study downstairs,” Rafe answered. “He’s calling in his spies from all over the city to see if they can figure out where they might have taken her.”
Leah came to her feet, surprised she could manage it. “And Taro? How badly is he hurt?”
Rafe stood up next to her and looked, if possible, even more worried. “Very,” he said. “He appears to have a concussion and a dozen broken bones, and he’s lost a lot of blood. Virrie and Josetta are with him, and we’ve sent for Nelson and Mirti. Darien even sent a car to the harbor, but it’ll be late before Kayle can get here.”
The primes. Darien was gathering all the primes to Taro’s bedside. I have to track down Zoe, Yori had said. Taro was so close to death that only elemental magic could anchor his body to this world. Leah tried to swallow and found it impossible.
“And Natalie?”
“Frightened and a little bruised, but she’ll be fine. She gave us our best description of the men who attacked Taro.”
Leah nodded. “I have to talk to Darien,” she said. “We can’t— This is—”
“I know,” he said. “There are not enough words to describe this day.”
• • •
Leah was halfway down the stairs when she heard the front door slam open and Zoe’s voice demand, “Where is he?” Seconds later, footsteps came pounding up the steps. Leah shrank to one side to provide clear passage. Zoe paused only long enough to give her a grim look and a touch on the arm before she rushed past on her way to Taro’s room.
Leah stumbled downstairs and through the hallways, resting her hand on the walls for physical support, and went straight to Darien’s study. He was sitting behind his great desk, issuing a series of orders to a slim, stone-faced man wearing royal livery, but he broke off as soon as Leah stepped in.
“That’s all for now,” he said, rising to his feet and striding around the corner of the desk. “Check back with me later.”
The man bowed and exited the room just as Darien reached Leah’s side. He took hold of her shoulders with both hands, gazed down at her with his hard gray eyes, and said, “We’ll find her.”
She stared back up at him. “They think she’s Odelia,” she said.
His grip tightened and then he dropped his hands. “What?”
“They think she’s Odelia. That’s what she called herself the one time she met Seka Mardis. That’s what Natalie calls her when she slips up—even Virrie does. Anyone in Welce who’s ever met Mally thinks she’s Odelia, except the people who met her at the party last night.”
“So? Why would any of our foreign visitors want Odelia?”
“Because the Karkan prince thinks you’re just putting on a charade,” Leah said. “He doesn’t think you really are going to be crowned king. He thinks she’s the true heir—and that he’s just captured the future queen of Welce.”
Darien let out a long groan and backed up a few paces so he could lean against the desk. He put the heel of his hand against his forehead and shut his eyes, as if trying to think this through.
“But then what do they intend to do with her?” he said. “This makes me more hopeful that they won’t actually harm her—but are they holding her for some kind of political ransom? Will they only release her if I agree to terms?”
“I don’t know,” Leah said. “And was it the Soechins who took her, or the Karkans? Just from what I know about the Karkans, I’m hoping for the Soechins.”
“You wouldn’t, if you knew much about the Soechins,” Darien retorted, dropping his hand. “But they’re not behind this.”
“How can you be so sure?”
He looked as if he was trying to decide how much he should tell her. “We’ve been talking. Privately. Without the knowledge of the Karkans,” he said finally. “We appear to be coming to agreement on some—issues—that have divided
our nations. They wouldn’t jeopardize our fragile détente by pulling a stunt like this.”
“Then it was Seka Mardis and the prince,” Leah said, trying to keep her voice steady. “They took her.”
“Probably. And we have to figure out how to get her back.”
“We need Chandran,” Leah said. “He knows them better than any of us do.”
“Is he nearby?”
“He’s in the house.”
Darien strode to the door, spoke to a servant, and then stood there, unmoving, until Chandran crossed the threshold. Leah immediately put her arms around him, desperate for comfort, and heard him speak over her head to Darien.
“What can you tell me?”
Darien gave a succinct recitation of events. “Since you have knowledge about the Karkan court,” he added, “we wondered if you might have any insights.”
Leah felt Chandran urge her across the room, so she reluctantly pulled free of his arms. The three of them sat in a small grouping of chairs by the window, though it was past sunset by now and the sky showed nothing but dark skies faintly streaked with red.
“I told Darien that they think Mally is Odelia—Vernon’s true daughter,” Leah said. “If that explains anything. And they believe Odelia is still destined for the throne.”
Chandran nodded. “What you must understand is that the Karkans believe a great wrong has been done to them—the Coziquela occupation—and that any actions they may take are justified if those actions lead to a righting of that wrong. They want your aid in ousting Cozique from their shores. They have taken what they believe is most precious to you—your future queen—because they believe you will do anything to get her back. Including agreeing to a treaty that you might otherwise refuse.”
“Will they harm her?”
“Almost certainly not,” Chandran said, and Leah sagged against his arm in relief so great that it almost dissolved her bones. He went on, “She is too valuable a prize to damage. If they want your cooperation, they will have to keep her whole. But that’s not the only reason. They fetishize royalty. They believe in the divinity of the blood heir. They won’t hurt her.”
“How do we get her back? Since we obviously are not going to be blackmailed into a treaty that we would break at the first opportunity.”
“They will set off for the Karkades as soon as possible,” Chandran said. “Despite the fact that the country was overrun by Cozique many years ago, the royal city itself is highly defensible. Once they get her inside the palace walls, it will be virtually impossible to get her out.”
“They are a few hours ahead of us already, and I don’t even know where they’ve gone,” said Darien, the frustration evident in his voice. “Will they try to sail out of the southern harbor? Will they cross the mountains to take refuge in Soeche-Tas? I have sent men in both directions, but so far there have been no reports of any travelers matching their descriptions.”
Leah stirred on her chair and sat up straighter. “No,” she said, her mind racing. “They’ll take her to the northwestern port. That’s where their ships are lying at anchor.” When Darien narrowed his eyes at her, she added, “That’s what Jaker and Barlow told me. That’s where the Soechin merchant ships always come in, and the Karkans sailed here directly from Soeche-Tas.”
“It makes sense,” Darien said. “So if we send soldiers to the harbor—though we’re still almost half a day behind—”
“Do you not have some faster method of transport?” Chandran asked. “I understand the elay prime has perfected flying machines.”
“They’re not perfected, and I already asked Rafe if they could be used for reconnaissance,” Darien replied in a regretful voice. “He said their range wasn’t far enough to do us any good, since they can barely make it a few miles past their home facility.”
Leah jumped to her feet. “I know! Let’s ask Jaker and Barlow! They might know a faster way to the port. They know every road in Welce.”
Darien and Chandran stood up more slowly, but Darien’s expression had sharpened. “That’s a good idea. Do you know where to find them?”
“Here! In the house! They brought us here!” She turned to Chandran. “Please. Go get them.”
But he made no move for the door. Instead, he gazed at her a moment, and there was something in his dark eyes that made her breath tangle in her throat. “Just a minute,” he said softly, turning his attention back to Darien. “Once you catch up with the Karkans,” he said, “you have to be prepared to negotiate.”
“I’ll negotiate with soldiers and weapons,” Darien said. “They cannot possibly muster as many men as I can. If I find them, I can contain them.”
“But Mally,” Leah said. She couldn’t manage any more words.
Darien looked at Chandran. “You said they wouldn’t hurt her.”
“If they were under attack,” Chandran said, “they might take desperate measures.”
“Then how do I deal with them?”
“Offer them something they want even more than they want Mally. Even more than they want a treaty.”
“And what might that be?”
“Me.”
TWENTY-FOUR
Once again, Leah felt as if the language being spoken around her, even the simplest words, made no sense. But dread rose in a toxic tide; every vein in her body tingled with poison. She placed her hand on his arm. “Why would they want you?” she whispered.
He smiled down at her very kindly. “Because I murdered the prince’s sister.”
She shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“He was married to the king’s youngest daughter,” Darien filled in. “He killed her and then he fled.”
“Ah,” Chandran said. “Your spies are as good as everyone says.”
Even more confused, Leah looked at Darien. “What? How do you know that?”
Darien met her eyes. “You had given me enough clues that I was able to figure out who he was. And Corene supplied part of the story. His family is prominent in Cozique, and she was able to learn a great deal about him.”
“The Karkans have been looking for me for fifteen years,” Chandran explained. “They want to bring me to justice.”
Leah’s hand tightened on his arm. “No.”
Darien looked unconvinced. “They may hate you, but do they hate you enough?” he said. “By their reckoning, Mally is a valuable prize. She could be the key to achieving a treaty that will change the course of their history. Will they give that up just to wreak vengeance on you?”
“Yes,” said Chandran.
“No,” Leah said again. “No no no no no no! You can’t do this! We’ll find another way— Darien has thousands of soldiers—we’ll make them give her back—”
Chandran put his hands on her shoulders and drew her closer. She was frantic, she was shaking, but she couldn’t help seeing that his own expression was serene. He looked at peace for perhaps the first time since she’d known him. “I did a great wrong fifteen years ago, and ever since that time I have been looking for a chance to atone,” he said. “Now I have found it. If my act of contrition ensures your happiness, I will make the sacrifice with an even lighter heart.”
“But, Chandran,” she said, and she could feel the tears welling up and spilling down her face, “I don’t want you to die.”
“Everybody dies,” he said. “At least I will have a death with meaning.”
“I’m going to look for Barlow and Jaker,” Darien said and strode from the room.
Leah dimly heard the door shut behind him as he gave them privacy, but the truth was, she didn’t care. She didn’t care if Darien witnessed this wrenching scene, she didn’t care if every resident of the house, every servant, every visitor, watched her fling herself into Chandran’s arms and sob, and beat her hands against his shoulders, and beg, and sob some more.
“I have just found y
ou,” she wailed. “We have just found each other. Please don’t throw your life away—”
“I am not throwing it away,” he said. “I am trading it for something of greater value. I am merchant enough to recognize a good bargain.”
“We’ll find another way to get her back! We have to!”
“And if Mally is not recovered, how could you and I ever have a life together?” he demanded, though his voice was still kind. “Every time you looked at me, you would think, ‘If not for this man, I would have my daughter.’”
She stared up at him hopelessly. “And when I look at her, I will think, ‘The man I love died on her behalf.’”
He smiled. “Yes. And you will be grateful every day that I was able to give you such an amazing gift.”
“But, Chandran—”
He kissed her forehead with an air of finality. “You cannot stop me,” he said. “I will do this thing, and I will be glad of it.”
For the moment, there was no more to say. She rested her head against his chest and felt his arms come around her waist, and she briefly wondered if it was possible for a person’s body to break apart because of such intolerable pain. No, the dreary thought came to her instantly. You have endured pain before. You know how stubborn the body is, how it clings to life when all you want is oblivion. You will survive this, too. You have more to live for. But you will never again be whole.
She heard the study door open again, and she lifted her head. “I’m sorry,” Darien said. “But the only maps are in this room.”
She forced herself upright and took a step away from Chandran. After all, she would have to learn to stand without his support. “Come on in,” she said.
Darien was followed by the two traders. Barlow only gave her a quick, embarrassed glance; he was not good with displays of raw emotion. But Jaker came over and squeezed her shoulder. She nodded because she couldn’t muster a smile.
Darien was sorting through oversize volumes on one of his bookshelves, and he pulled out a long leather-bound portfolio. “The land surveys are a little out of date,” he said, “but no more than three or four years old.”
