by Lori Hyrup
Kharra sat to his left, listening to the conversation with a polite smile on her face. The young woman wore a simple green gown trimmed with gold, which brought out the warmth of her brown eyes.
“Ah, here she is,” said Zephyron as he stood and extended an arm toward her.
Zephyron’s appearance shocked Aria though she did her best to conceal it. He wore a long white tunic that she almost mistook for a robe. It had a tight neckline and a short collar, and it buttoned down the right side of his torso. The material glimmered in the light, as did the silver that lined the collar, cuffs, and trim. A pair of silver serpentine creatures Aria failed to recognize meandered down either side of his abdomen. Beneath the tunic he wore loose-fitting pants of the same material. His white hair, shimmering almost as much as his clothing, hung unbound down his back. Had she not known him, she might have mistaken him for the crown prince rather than the man with whom he sat.
The blond-haired prince himself wore a decorative red sleeveless robe over a black silk suit, both trimmed in a golden weave. A gold chain hung down around his neck, and on his feet he had simple black slippers.
“Kruusta Aria,” said Crown Prince Kiem with an edge of excitement in his voice. The prince stood to extend a hand toward her. “I am such a big fan of yours. You look amazing.”
Shocked by his use of a common greeting, she clasped his hand in return. “Crown Prince Kiem,” she said. “Thank you. I have not yet had the pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
“Even before Master Zephyron told me of your most recent exploits, I was a longtime follower of your career.” Aria released his hand and cocked her head to the side. He could not have been more than eighteen years old, and she had never seen him before. So how he knew anything about her or why he would be interested in her career confounded her.
Kiem returned to his chair. “Please, sit and join us,” he said, gesturing to the empty chair to his right.
Aria eyed the bodyguards around the seating area, each bearing the insignia of the Order of the Rose, and eased into the chair. She crossed her legs but fought against her impulse to fidget with her gown. “I didn’t realize one such as myself would attract attention. I am just another kruusta doing my job.”
Kiem flashed her a white-toothed smile. “I find your modesty charming. As you know, each of you kruustas report your activities to nearby shard temples. The priests also submit reports. In addition to the well-being of their local communities, they submit reports of both the shard beast and kruusta activity in their respective areas. Those reports eventually reach the Minister of the Orders. Each of the other orders submit similar reports.” He shrugged. “If I am to be emperor one day, I want to know all there is to know about the land I live in and the people in it. I find you kruustas most fascinating, and your career in particular I find inspiring. You are quite different even from other kruustas.
“Let’s see. Some call you Aria Moonblade because of your preference for traveling and fighting at night. Most others, even kruustas, don’t like fighting at night. You are currently the oldest living kruusta and have also destroyed more shard beasts than any other. They say your ability to detect and defeat them exceeds all others. You adopted, raised, and trained a wild zegu, and you prefer to ride it rather than a horse.
“Hmm, oh, you often befriend the local innkeepers and their staff; they speak highly of you. Also, I have seen a few kruustas fight. I find that most of them lack finesse and rely mostly on brute strength. However, those who’ve witnessed you fight say you move both with efficiency and grace. I believe ‘flowing’ is a term often used. Does that sound right, Zephyron?” The prince turned his head toward the Guardian.
“It does, indeed, Your Grace,” Zephyron responded with a stately tone. Nodding toward Aria, he added, “You have yourself a fan.”
Aria raised an eyebrow at Zephyron but said nothing.
“I do wish I could travel and fight as you do,” said the prince. “It must be a great life to have such adventure and freedom rather than be confined to a single city most of the time, surrounded by guards at all hours and having to attend boring meetings and social gatherings.”
Aria suspected that the prince’s trip to Valmont was the first time he had even been more than a few miles away from Aloazai. She worked to find the appropriate words to respond but kept finding herself treading down paths of mental negativity. At last she said, “A kruusta’s life is one of duty, as is yours, and we each have our parts to play.”
The music changed to something of a medium tempo. “Oh, I love this tune,” said Kiem, his previous conversation already forgotten. He looked beyond Zephyron and said to the still-silent Kharra. “Would you honor me with this dance, Lady Kharra?”
Aria narrowed her eyes at Zephyron. His lips twitched.
Kharra flashed a brilliant smile at the prince. “I would love to.” In her mind, Aria heard, I’ll make you pay for this.
Aria did her best to suppress a smile. She knew Kharra had directed the comment at Zephyron, but her inclusion of Aria indicated it was a friendly jest.
Zephyron stood, and then to Aria’s surprise bowed to her over one arm. “Would you care to dance, my lady?”
Aria’s eyes went wide with terror. “I don’t think—”
Before another word escaped her mouth, Zephyron grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the dance floor. As before when they touched, the crystal in her hand flared to life as soon as their skin made contact, pulsing a soft blue, and energy surged from his hand to hers. She had been ready for it this time, and it invigorated her. With graceful skill Zephyron pulled her right arm outward. To avoid tripping, she had no choice but to allow her body to follow the motion and spin into his arm. He spun her back until his other hand was placed firmly against the small of her back. With his large, powerful left hand, he made minute changes to their movement, and his extended right arm steered her in the direction of his choosing. Though she had never danced before in her life, the activity shared enough similar motion with her combat footwork that her muscles reacted to his lead.
With her face near Zephyron’s ear, she said in a whisper, “I feel out of place. These dresses intimidate me more than a horde of shard beasts.”
Zephyron smiled as he twirled her around. “You don’t give yourself enough credit. You look stunning.”
Aria’s cheeks grew warm, unaccustomed as she was to compliments about her appearance. “Speaking of which, where did you get that outfit?” she asked the Guardian as a means of deflecting attention away from herself.
“Oh, you like it?”
Aria smirked. “I think you know exactly how you look. I’ve never seen that type of clothing design or material before. Did you find that in Tanoria?”
Zephyron shook his head slightly as he led her into a series of steps that took her to the opposite side of the room. “No. I’ve had this outfit for years. I keep it around for occasions such as this.”
“You carry that in your pack?” she asked.
Zephyron nodded. “It’s made from shardsilk, so it doesn’t wrinkle. It’s actually pretty durable in battle as well.”
Aria cocked her head. “Shardsilk? Never heard of it.”
“You wouldn’t have. It comes from the Xi’ari silkmoth, which is only found in Xi’ari’asi.”
“Ah, I see. That’s the home of the Guardians, so it’s a Guardian-only resource.”
Zephyron smiled and nodded as he spun her about again. Then he frowned. “Unfortunately I don’t think there’s anyone left who knows how to work or even harvest the material.”
“So I have to know,” she said, changing the subject again. “How in the world did you get an audience with the crown prince?”
“Funny you should ask,” he began. “Kharra and I just happened to start a conversation about current events with a group of wealthy merchants who were on their way to the Golden Horseman.”
“Just happened…” Aria inserted.
Zephyron’s mouth twitched as he conti
nued. “The merchants became so enthralled with the conversation that when we all arrived at the front door, one well-known merchant spoke up on behalf of the entire group for entrance and included us as part of their group.
“With so much going on, once we were inside, it took little effort on our part to break away and mingle. As for getting an audience with the prince, that was a combination of Kharra and you.”
“Me?” Aria asked incredulously.
Zephyron smiled. “Kharra played coy, smiling at him whenever she caught him looking her way. Meanwhile, we began a conversation about our travels with a particularly skilled kruusta. As you saw, Kiem’s quite a fan of yours. Once he overheard the conversation, he escaped from the stuffier crowd that lingered about him and bounded to our side.”
Aria narrowed her eyes at him. “How did you know he was a fan of mine?”
Zephyron ignored her question and instead spun her about again. “Honestly, I think he’s actually more of a fan of Kharra’s than of you, but he used our conversation about you to get close to us.”
Aria glanced about the room and located their other companion. Kiem was talking to her. He has not stopped talking since we started, came the voice in Aria’s head.
Zephyron laughed quietly. “I believe she’s captured his heart,” he said to Aria, though she was certain Kharra was listening as well.
Aria’s lips curved upward even as she shook her head.
Zephyron danced with superb skill, able to keep her from ever fumbling, but Aria was thankful when the song finally ended. Together they stepped off to the side of the room toward a table of refreshments. Zephyron grabbed two glasses of wine and handed one to Aria. She took it with a thanks.
Aria swirled the wine on her tongue, enjoying the faint peach flavor. She eyed the dance floor. Kharra had not managed to escape as easily as they had; Kiem kept her on the floor for another song.
“So what have we learned?” Aria asked Zephyron over her glass of wine as they found seats at a small, somewhat secluded table on the far side of the dance floor.
“According to your crown prince, he and five hundred troops are passing through the Valmont area on their way to a place called Haan. His troops are camped a few miles outside of the city. This event you see here was a rather impromptu gathering; Kiem wanted to visit the city. I suspect there’s more going on here than just a stately visit.”
Aria stared into her wine before taking another sip. “Haan,” she said. “That’s a province within the Temple Peak Mountain Range southwest of us. Why would he be traveling there with so many troops?”
Zephyron gave her a tight smile rather than his customary grin. “According to him, Haan has gone silent. Over a year ago, rumors reached Aloazai that fighting and unrest had spread across the province. Kiem said that his younger brother and sister—whom he referred to as the twins—were sent to Haan several months ago with some trusted advisors and a handful of Knights of the Rose to both investigate the rumors and help resolve any issues that might arise.
“They’ve not returned nor has anyone sent word of their status. There could have been some travel delays due to weather, especially in the higher altitudes, but Kiem is very worried. On top of that, all trade and travel between Haan and the other provinces has stopped. Those who journey there haven’t returned, and no one from Haan has come out.”
Aria frowned at her wine, her taste for it suddenly soured. “It would not be the first time a province rebelled or a provincial leader was overthrown.” She nibbled at the inside of her lip. “Valmont is the last major community in Aelland before heading into Haan. He probably came into the city to get information, but I don’t think he realized how much of a local commotion the arrival of the crown prince would cause.”
“Will our path take us into this Haan region?” Zephyron asked.
Aria studied the Guardian, more of his puzzle falling into place. “No, sorry. Our travels won’t take us in that direction.”
Zephyron nodded, but disappointment crawled across his face.
Aria reached out and placed her hand on top of his. A tingle of energy rushed through her fingertips and up her arm. She savored the sensation. “Remember, these are not your people,” she said, watching both him and the people mingling nearby. “You and Kharra both already carry many great burdens. You have enough on your plate without worrying about this land.”
The Guardian sighed. For the first time since she had met him, Zephyron’s eyes bore the weariness of the years he had lived and the events he had witnessed. “My concerns span much farther than any single land; my concerns are for the world as a whole. Kharra has a dream of reuniting the world and rebuilding the realms that were shattered by our great wars. I share that dream.
“But a darkness grows. I can’t place it yet, but I feel it as surely as I feel my heart beating. Kharra feels it as well. She has nightmares about it, and they terrify her. I don’t think any realm, including Tanoria, will be safe from what is to come. Part of the problem though is that we’re still blind. We have no idea which series of events will be the catalyst that sparks something much worse. We also have no idea how much time we have. It could be another twenty years before this darkness is upon us, or it could be tomorrow. Worse, it could be happening right now, right in front of us, and we won’t know it until it is too late for us to do anything about it.”
Zephyron tossed his head back and gulped the last of his wine. “Listen to me ramble on. This should be a night for us to put these worries aside.” He stood, his usual smile once again in place, and his eyes shone with their normal energetic luster. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back out to the dance floor. She swiftly swallowed the last of her wine and deposited her glass on the tray of a passing server.
For the next two hours, they danced and spoke of more mundane topics—food, funny childhood stories, interesting places they’d visited, and people they knew. At times they changed partners, and Aria found herself paired with Kiem on multiple occasions. Each time the crown prince spoke of something different—his life in Aloazai, trade arrangements with different provinces, his training with the Order of the Rose, his father’s recent birthday banquet. Aria struggled to focus on his words despite his best efforts to impress her. She nodded her head and commented where appropriate, but his interests and hers had little in common. Maintaining the facade exhausted her, and she found herself wishing she had shard beasts to fight instead.
The one item Aria did note though was that Kiem never once mentioned his current mission but neither did she ask. On several occasions, however, he mentioned Kharra: sometimes to compliment her appearance, sometimes to comment on her intelligence, and sometimes to share something witty she had said. The boy was besotted with Aria’s companion.
A lull in the music, enforced by a break taken by the musicians, afforded Aria the opportunity she needed to meet up with Kharra and Zephyron. She informed them that she would be retiring for the evening. They both latched on to her suggestion and thought it best that they also get some rest. Without saying farewell to the prince, the pair slipped away.
Aria found Kiem. “Crown Prince Kiem,” she said, “I need to be heading out. I have many long days of travel ahead and need to rest.”
Kiem frowned, looking very much his age. “This night ended too soon. Is Kharra still here?”
Aria shook her head. “No, she was very tired, though she looked to have enjoyed her evening.”
“A shame that I did not get to say my goodbyes,” he said, genuinely crestfallen. A moment later his eyes lit up. “Would you do me the honor of stopping by my encampment in the morning on your way out of the city? I would love a chance to say my proper goodbyes to the lady.”
Aria smiled in spite of herself. “I think we can arrange that.” Aria bid the prince farewell and returned to her own inn.
Back at the Wild Mercer, all three of the companions changed out of their nice clothes and into more comfortable attire, but despite all of them wanting to rest, they f
ound themselves gathered in Kharra’s room. Aria sat on a small cushioned chair beside an equally small table. Zephyron leaned against the wall beside the room’s small window. Kharra sat on her bed, her expression distant, distracted.
“We touched on this once in the past, but have you ever heard of anyone in Tanoria having any type of leyoen-like abilities?” Kharra asked.
Aria gave a slow half shake of the head. “No, why?”
Kharra’s face grew tight, and she rocked slowly back and forth on her bed.
Aria continued. “The only thing remotely special here are the abilities relating to the use of the crystal shards. Kruustas are the most unique of the group because the shards become part of our bodies. Priests learn to commune with the shards in the temples, and shardhealers are able to use crystals in healing. Beyond that…I’m unaware of anyone in Tanoria having anything else, and nothing similar to any of your abilities.”
Kharra stopped rocking, crossed her left arm across the front of her body, and held the elbow of her right. She bowed her head over her right hand and bounced her thumb on her lip. “It was very weak, but I’m quite sure that I sensed it in the prince. I don’t even think he knows he has it, and I have no idea what type of ability he may have.” Kharra looked at Zephyron.
Zephyron shrugged in return. “I’m just as baffled as you. The only time I know that people with leyoen came to Tanoria was over a century ago when the Sauru pursued one of the Betrayers here, but as far as I know, every single one of them was killed on a mountain. If this strain of leyoen is part of the imperial family, then it may very well predate all of that.”
Kharra slipped off the bed and walked over to Aria. “I have not sensed anything from Aria nor any of the priests, at least nothing that seemed like leyoen.” She looked into Aria’s eyes. “Would you mind if I touched your face so I could look a little deeper? Physical contact allows me to look deeper than normal. Perhaps I can find something similar to what I sensed in the prince.”
