Nakia didn’t ask any other questions. Ashni tried to remain calm but found herself growing increasingly agitated, as though a growing swarm of hornets buzzed under her skin. If Amal harmed Saniyah, she’d rip his head off his shoulders. Saniyah headed many of her battle weapons. Without her, they’d lose a great advantage in warfare.
Beyond Saniyah, there were families Amal might’ve gone after, families which would oppose his rule. At the top of the list would be Layla’s family, who was basically her family, and Naren’s family, along with any family connected to them. Every noble in her Court could be in danger, if not from Amal then later from her if they didn’t oppose her brother.
And then, when she was done with Amal, she had to do something with Dorian. He was coming along, tied up and thrown over Naren’s horse. Naren was the only one she could trust not to kill Dorian should he do something stupid. Adira was too tense and Layla already itched to taste his blood. Ashni planned to exile him onto a small island in the sea around Khenshu. A nice little barren rock where desolation covered every corner. She’d give him supplies every month to make sure he lived a nice, long time, knowing he crossed the wrong woman. At least she’d be able to do that sooner rather than later.
***
The wind howled, pushing the ship, and salt filled Nakia’s lungs with each breath. She wasn’t sure what she should say to Ashni as they made their way back across the sea. The others were quiet, too, standing, watching the waves roil. This business with Amal was something she might not be able to comprehend. It seemed like this action was more than him trying to usurp Ashni, even more than him trying to kill Ashni. The grim nature behind their eyes made it seem like Amal had the power to end the world.
It felt off to her that they chose to do this alone. They left the whole army in the West. Yes, the army knew what happened in Khenshu, but they didn’t insist on coming. There had been some rousing, but Ashni quickly shut it down. They seemed to trust Ashni to put the world in order. Much like she did. Maybe Ashni is touched by the gods. Perhaps even divine herself.
If Ashni was divine, then Nakia pitied Amal for going against the gods. Yes, he might be the son of a god, too, but the rumor had it that Ashni’s father was a god while the Amir was possibly one half-god, if that. Amal was tempting fate. Why? Does he think he could defy, defeat, and conquer the divine? Except, Ashni didn’t seem quite as confident as Nakia had seen her in the past.
“Are you afraid you might hurt your brother?” Nakia asked as they settled onto a corner of the ship taking them back to Khenshu. They sat on the wooden deck, not even on a pillow. She didn’t mind as she was pressed against Ashni, who shielded her from the damp sea air as best she could.
“I want to destroy him for daring to try this, but I can’t,” Ashni said, voice rough and rumbling in her throat, making her chest vibrate against Nakia’s back.
“Why can’t you?”
“Our mother would never forgive me. This is why he still wanders about free after trying to kill me on several different occasions. I need proof positive of his actions or my mother won’t do anything.”
“Surely this is enough to do something.” What more could their mother possibly want?
“I’m sure he has an excuse worked out for why he’s done this.”
Nakia shook her head. What excuse would their mother believe? Surely she knew her son better than that. “Why doesn’t he take this energy to just go conquer his own land?”
“I’m sure he thinks this is easier. I’m also not sure he wants to conquer territory outside of the Empire. None of my brothers seem interested in expanding the Empire. They felt like expansion’s what killed our father.”
“It’s possible.”
Ashni gave a light shrug. “Yes, but he died doing what he loved. Conquest isn’t just about taking over territory. It’s about seeing the world, experiencing new things, and meeting interesting people. If he didn’t expand the Empire, I never would’ve known I had a spirit sister out there.”
“Layla’s your spirit sister?” Having seen the two interact, Nakia would never doubt their sisterhood.
“We bonded at the soul.” Ashni shifted Nakia a bit and tapped the center of her chest. “There’s an energy to us all. Layla and my energy is almost the same. She is me.”
“And the same with Adira?” Nakia’s curiosity spiked.
“We bonded at the head.”
Nakia’s brow furrowed, even though she felt she understood what the bond meant anyway. Ashni and Adira thought alike. “Is that why she’s not your sister?”
Ashni rubbed the bridge of her nose with her index finger. “It’s complicated. Adira’s family, no doubt about it, but if she needed a title, she’d probably be more of an aunt. But, I wouldn’t be able to acknowledge that.”
Nakia chuckled. Giving Adira a title like that would make her seem like an authority figure to Ashni and while Ashni clearly respected Adira’s opinion, she didn’t defer to her. And, yes, Ashni and Adira were close, but not close like she was with Layla. A question settled in Nakia’s mind.
“How are we bonded? At the heart?” Nakia asked.
Ashni was silent for longer than Nakia expected, and her stomach twisted. Was that too far? Did I misunderstand? Ashni kissed her cheek and nuzzled her neck for a moment, letting out a content sigh. It helped settle Nakia, but she was still curious. How are we bonded? She never knew bonds like this existed until Ashni. It helped to see Thia with her husband, but she felt like she and Ashni were more than that. Yes, there was love, but it felt like it something deeper, more vast than she thought possible.
Ashni held her a little tighter. “I’m not sure how we’re bonded. Maybe it’s all of those. I can feel you in my soul, my head, and my heart. It’s intense and almost tangible to me sometimes. If I was asked to describe you, there aren’t enough words in all of creation for me to do it. I’ve never experienced it before. I’d do anything for you. I’d give you anything you want. If you asked me for the moon right now, I promise I’d figure out a way to bring it to you.”
Nakia grinned. “That’s how I feel, too. I’ve never felt it either. I wouldn’t have believed it was real if someone told me about it. I don’t feel quite as capable as you, though. If you asked me for the moon, I’d ponder, but I don’t think I’d come up with a way to get it to you.”
Ashni scoffed. “You, who delivered Valen to me, would easily grant me the moon.”
Nakia turned around, studying Ashni’s face. “I delivered Valen to you?”
“Did someone else talk them into negotiating? You saved us a siege and a lot of deaths. Although, a Bloody Orchard might’ve served us well.”
Nakia flinched. “How could something so grotesque serve us well?” While she didn’t want to change Ashni, she’d like to talk about the morbid practice one day.
“The god Mar loves a garden, for it attracts Life.”
Nakia turned fully around, needing to see Ashni as she enlightened her about these Bloody Orchards. “Mar?”
“A god of the dead. It’s his job to collect souls. He’s enamored with Life. So, whenever one makes a garden for him, he’s always grateful for he’ll see his love.”
Nakia squinted as she followed along. “Life?” Death loves life. Stranger things were true.
“Oh, yes. Mar loves Myesha. She’s the one who brings us all the spark of Life. She’s busy, making sure all living things have the spark. So, when Mar comes to collect the dead in the Bloody Orchard, he’s able to meet with Myesha, who’ll also come to the Orchard to give the spark of Life to tiny creatures, like maggots, who’ll feast on the flesh. Mar is always grateful to anyone who leaves him the garden for him to meet with his love. It’s in a Bloody Orchard where Life and Death meet.”
Nakia frowned. That was oddly romantic. “Is Mar’s blessing potent?”
“Quite. It’ll keep him from visiting us for quite a while. After all, should he do away with the ones who make the Orchards, who’ll make the Orchards? How’d he meet wi
th Myesha then?”
Nakia wasn’t sure how she felt about it. The gods were beyond her much of the time, but the Roshan gods even more so. But, then again, the gods were a mystery to everyone. If Ashni could find a positive thing from the bloodshed of war, Nakia figured that was better than countless lives lost for nothing. Of course, Ashni didn’t look at it as lives lost for nothing and Nakia knew better than to ever say something like that to her.
“What do you think will happen when we get to Khenshu?”
“I suspect Amal has the port, which is why he can control the flow of information to me. We’ll clear that and then getting into Khenshu won’t be a problem. I don’t care what warriors Amal has at my city. I’ll destroy them and march into my kingdom as I always do.”
The grit in Ashni’s voice made Nakia pity Amal. While Ashni might not outright slay her own brother, he wouldn’t like it when Ashni stood before him. Can Amal actually stand against Ashni? Nakia felt like it was impossible, but surely Amal knew a standoff was coming.
“Do you know what Amal might have planned for you?” Nakia asked.
“He thinks he can stand as my equal. He’ll learn otherwise. I don’t care who’s with him, and I don’t care if the gods have suddenly seen fit to cast me from their light. I’ll not let him have what’s mine.”
“Why do you think the gods no longer favor you?” Nakia felt like that until Ashni showed up to rescue her from Caligo. Ever since that moment, she felt like every god in existence smiled upon her and that was why Ashni was in her life.
“I’ve had you stolen from me, the dreams of everyone who follows me put on hold, and now Amal puffing himself up. There are walls before me, but I’ll tear them down. I’ll tear everything down if necessary, even the Heavens themselves if the gods wish to test me,” Ashni replied and Nakia believed her.
When they pulled into port, Ashni was proved correct. Armed soldiers met their ship and questioned the captain and crew of the vessel. Ashni didn’t even bother to hide. She stepped into view as thunder echoed through the sky and clouds gathered overhead. The soldiers, almost twenty in all, seemed to shiver.
“If you think you can stand my power, come,” Ashni said, holding up a hand. Lightning popped from her fingertips.
The soldier at the head of the group aimed his sword at Ashni. Ashni snapped her finger and lightning shot down from the sky to the tip of his sword. There was a bright flash and when the light cleared, his body lay smoking on the ground.
“Who else wants to try me?” Ashni’s voice dark like the sky. No one moved. “Wise decision.”
Ashni waved her group on. Nakia wasn’t surprised with that display of power. Surely Ashni was a god. Does that mean her father was a god? If so, which father? Does Amal also have such talent?
***
Amal’s men moved quickly from her path, and Ashni smirked. At this point, she felt like she could go through an army on her own. Her blood buzzed with lightning, and she wasn’t sure how she contained herself. It was more than Amal trying to take her position. It was about him ruining so much for selfish reasons. As much as she rode for herself, she rode for their people, their nation, and their father’s legacy. How dare he think he’s worthy of my throne if he couldn’t think of any of those things?
“I’m going to peel him like a grape if Saniyah is hurt.” Adira spoke through her teeth as they rode on horses taken from Amal’s cowards. Their own steeds, loyal and true, deserved a rest.
As they arrived at the city gates, Ashni thought it was possible Adira might end up peeling Amal like a grape. The gate crawled with his people. If he had the gate, then the guards she had there were probably dead. Inside the city was probably worse.
“Halt!” A guard with a wolf’s head symbol on his chest plate stood before them.
Ashni struck him down with her lightning. His comrades made a path for her and her group, opening the gates to reveal the usually bustling streets of her fair capital to be devoid of life. Pockets of destruction and ashes waited for her instead, places where blood was clearly left as a message, and the still smoldering remains of a temple.
“Should I go to my parents’ villa?” Layla asked.
“You should check on them. Adira, you do the same,” Ashni replied. Amal might have used them to make examples to the rest of her people.
Adira scowled. “So you can have Amal all to yourself?”
“It’s not like I can kill him.” No matter how much she liked to at the moment. Adira might actually get away with it if Saniyah was harmed.
Layla and Adira agreed, breaking off with Naren going along. Ashni continued on with Nakia sitting behind her. As they made their way to the palace, people flowed out of their homes, their faces flashing with delight. How long has Amal oppressed my people? She pushed the horse onward, up to the palace. No one tried to stop her.
“Is this a trap?” Nakia asked.
“It’s an invitation. One I’ll gladly take.” Ashni pushed the horse right into the throne room.
Amal sat atop her throne, in his finest robes with a servant feeding him dates. Officials, nobles, and priests lingered along the side walls. Confident fool. He had her people there to witness her downfall.
“Welcome, dear sister. You’re just in time to tell everyone you gave me Khenshu as a gift.” Amal grinned as he took a goblet of wine from a tray.
“I’ll give you something all right.” Lightning crackled from her hands. She’d give him everything owed to him and more.
Chapter Sixteen
ASHNI CRACKED HER KNUCKLES to the tune of roaring thunder outsider as she dismounted the horse, eyes locked on Amal. He had the nerve to smirk and sip wine, like she wouldn’t rip his ass off of her throne. In fact, that seemed like the best course of action. She marched toward the dais, lightning flashing from her hands. Thunder boomed outside with a howling wind. She’d unleash everything on him and rebuild whatever was necessary when it was done.
“Sounds like you’re having a temper tantrum,” Amal said.
Lightning crackled at her fingertips. “I could say the same for you. Isn’t that what all this bullshit’s about? You need my attention so badly you try to take what’s mine.” Maybe that was really Amal’s problem. He wanted her to notice him, and he didn’t know how to go about it. Not that she cared.
His intense glare could rival the heat of the desert. “I don’t need anything from you.”
“Yet you’re trying to take the territory our father specifically willed me. Get off my throne right now, Amal, and I won’t embarrass you in front of this crowd you’ve gathered.” Ashni glanced around at the faces of her subjects. Everyone looked exhausted, wan, and ashen. No one was dressed as finely as expected to be in the presence of royalty. They wore the rags of prisoners. Amal probably confiscated their finery.
His own people were easy to spot in the crowd, wearing dazzling colors and jewels. They had color in their faces and didn’t look beaten down. She’d change that.
Amal shook his head. “You can’t have land willed to you. The great Amir wasn’t your father.” He said the words deliberately, trying to get a raise from her.
Ashni arched an eyebrow. “Even if he wasn’t my father, he can will whatever the hell he sees fit to me. Didn’t he claim me as I claim my own family? Call me his child? Who are you to decide?” Honestly, who the hell does Amal think he is to try to change our father’s decisions? Our mother’s decisions? Joint decisions made by the greatest people the Empire had ever known, joint decisions made by demigods. So, who the hell is Amal to decide anything?
Amal slammed his fist against the throne, a thud echoing through the quiet room. “I am his son, by blood and birth!”
“I am his child by birth and choice. Is that what bothers you the most? The rumors have been going on since my birth, but Dad still chose me. And maybe he accepted me because of the rumors. After all, was it not said our father was born when lightning struck a rock?” Well, that was one of the many stories. Their father never se
emed to actually believe that, even though he was certain he was part god.
“You are not his child!” Amal roared and his golden eyes burned with fury that could’ve put the sun to shame, sparking with flames. The people around them flinched. “Children of a storm are no match for a descendent of Khurshid.”
Ashni inclined her chin. “Is Rami not the child of Khurshid and Dima? Do you think Rami inferior as if his parents aren’t the Sun and Sky? I’m sure Dima would be impressed with you mocking her own god child.”
The rumors said that she was the child of Rami, one of the storm gods, through a union of the Great Eagle and Dami, the Sky, the life giver, ruler of Rain. Depending on who told the story, Rami had a taste for human women and disguised himself to roam the globe, mate with women, and abandon them soon after the affair bored him. No matter how great she believed the storm god to be, she couldn’t see him doing that to her mother. First off, her mother was never boring. Second off, there was no way her mother was with any man other than her father. Her mother would sooner kill Rami than sleep with him.
Amal rose, glaring down at Ashni, orange sparks bursting from his fingertips. “You think you’re even worthy of being Rami’s child?”
“Oh, so our mother slept with some random man claiming to be a god and then had me?” His opinion of her seemed to get worse and worse and seeped over to a mother they all were certain he loved so much until now.
“Mom isn’t infallible.”
Ashni was surprised at how far her lightning jumped, blowing a hole in the high ceiling. Their mother who was the only reason he lived. Who the fuck does he think he is?
“Is our mother not the daughter of a god as well?” They had seen more than enough proof of that.
“She has never said.”
“Neither has Dad. So, let me see if I have this correct, I’m not worthy of my throne and don’t even have a proper claim to it because I’m the product of an adulterous relationship between our human mother and some random human man who tricked her into believing he was a god?” It was a good thing Layla wasn’t around. She’d have beat Amal to within an inch of his life for disrespecting Empress Chandra like this.
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