“Kitten.” Ashni’s voice came out as a scratchy croak.
Before Nakia could figure out what Ashni wanted to tell her, she heard the lightning strike. She turned in time to see Amal fall for a second time. A small gasp escaped her before she realized it. How could he still be alive, let alone able to climb to his feet? Regardless of how she felt about him, he probably was the son of god, so it sort of made sense. Maybe. It didn’t matter as long as he didn’t get back up. Nakia turned back to Ashni, who gave her a weak smile before passing out.
“Ashni?” Nakia hoped she wasn’t holding onto Ashni’s dead body.
“We need healers!” Adira waved people over to Nakia and Ashni. The masses in the room moved in a mad rush, but Nakia suspected many of them weren’t getting healers. Adira stood between Ashni and Amal, hand on the hilt of her sword.
People tried to take Ashni from Nakia, but she clung to Ashni, refusing to let go. Ashni stirred awake and held onto a fistful of Nakia’s shirt.
“They’re doctors. They have me, kitten,” Ashni whispered.
Nakia let the doctors have Ashni, but she followed them off to wherever the hell they were taking her lover. She didn’t trust any of them. What if one of them is secretly with Amal? It would be all too easy to kill Ashni in her exhausted state.
Ashni was rushed to her apartments in the palace with Nakia hot on their heels. She stood back, questions on the tip of her tongue. Ashni kept eye contact with her, as if letting her know it was all right, but then the doctors blocked her view. Nakia moved, ready to bark at the doctors, when a hand grabbed hers. She turned to see Layla next to her.
“It’s okay,” Layla said. “Ashni’s awake and if she suspects any one of these healers, I’ll cut them down.”
She knew Layla wouldn’t gamble with Ashni’s life. She wasn’t sure how long they stood there, but eventually servants brought them sitting pillows. Soon, the scent of charred skin was replaced with herbs and blood, and bandages littered the floor. Food was brought, but Nakia couldn’t imagine eating.
“She’s going to be fine, you know?” Layla said around a mouthful of bread and honey.
Nakia didn’t have that confidence. “That fire…” Nakia would’ve doubted she saw it if only Ashni wasn’t suffering because of it. “Was that divine power?”
Layla scoffed. “All her brothers throw fire. Fire and tantrums. Well, except the younger twins. They throw fire and madness. They’re fun.”
Nakia’s forehead wrinkled. “But, Ashni has lightning.” Maybe she wasn’t the child of Khalid Akshay.
Layla shrugged. “Some kids have brown eyes and then one has green.”
Nakia nodded. “I’m one of those kids.”
“Right. Do you ever doubt your parents are your parents because your eyes don’t match the color scheme?”
“No.” It never occurred to her.
“We all know lightning is only commanded by the Heavens. So, her commanding lightning must mean something. Besides, it makes sense if her father really was born from lightning striking the rock or whatever the hell the story is.”
Nakia didn’t have an argument against that. “Have any of her other brothers used their powers against her?”
Layla ate some more bread. “Only when sparring. Amal has always been the most openly hostile. She knew something like this would happen eventually.”
“So, her other brothers won’t do this?”
“I didn’t say all that. I’ve spent a lot of time around her family and while she can consider my family her family and they’d do the same, her brothers have never looked at me as such. Her mother is kind to me and treats me like a daughter, but her brothers, even the younger ones, look at me like I’m beneath them.”
Nakia nodded. “Ashni made it sound like she liked them.”
“She does. I think they respect her in a way the older ones don’t. But, I also think they haven’t been molded by intrigue like the older ones have. Amal seemed to buy into it the most. He thought he was deserving of the crown for whatever reason. I’m sure he’ll be wanting a refund on those beliefs once his mother finds out about this.”
“Will she do something about him now?” Nakia was nervous of this the most. What if Amal’s allowed to roam free?
“Well, provided he doesn’t die of his wounds—and I’m sure he won’t because no god is ever that good—we’ll see. I have to think Chandra will do something now. I mean, he almost succeeded in killing Ashni with his own hand in front of almost a hundred people.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Layla didn’t say anything, but Nakia could tell from the haunted look in her eyes, Layla hoped she was right as well. She sat with Layla until the doctors began to disperse. Ashni was covered in bandages, including her face. Nakia wanted to fall to her side and take her hand, but both were bandaged as well. She sat by her, instead, finding Ashni awake.
“Hey, hellcat,” Ashni said, her voice low, groggy, like there were pebbles in her throat.
Nakia didn’t feel like a hellcat right now. More like a helpless kitten. “How do you feel?”
Ashni chuckled and it sounded smoky, like the fire had burned her vocal cords. “Good.”
“You feel good?”
There was an amused glint in her uncovered eye. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to put a bolt of lightning in Amal’s ass?”
Nakia forced out a smile. “I can imagine.”
“Yeah, that second bolt was for you, from the time he tried to hurt you because you won at chess.”
Nakia let out a weak giggle, bordering on hysterical. She wasn’t sure how she hadn’t come apart at the seams yet. “Well, thank you for that, but I’m sure there were people more deserving of the second bolt honor.”
Ashni smiled. “No one will ever deserve more than you.”
Nakia sniffled and her eyes stung with tears. She wasn’t sure if she was about to cry out of happiness or frustration. I’ve never felt like such a mess. A good mess since she’s alive, but still a mess. “You’re such a romantic.”
Ashni sighed. “This is a big fucking mess he’s gotten us into. I hate to think about how I need to fix Khenshu. What if I can’t get back to the West?”
“Silly girl. You’re the daughter of Amir Khalid Akshay. How could you not get back to the West? We’ll root out the problems here, and then strengthen anything that needs to be fixed and you’ll get back to the West. I know you can do it.” She meant that. Ashni would rise again and fulfill her dreams. Someone like Amal couldn’t stop a force of nature like Ashni.
Ashni smiled. “Stay with me while I sleep?”
“I’ll stay with you always.” She’d also pray to every god she knew to make sure Ashni pulled through.
***
When Ashni woke up the next day from a dreamless sleep, she struggled to her feet, determined to walk to her throne. Pain beyond her understanding stalked through her with every breath she took. It took all of her willpower to stay standing.
Nakia quietly watched Ashni, standing close in case she needed support, but she managed on her own. Ashni wouldn’t give Amal or his followers the satisfaction in seeing her incapacitated for even a full day.
Beyond that, she thought she’d need to stay on her feet to make sure Nakia didn’t think she was weak, but she already knew that wasn’t true. It was like being around Layla or Adira after being injured, except Nakia hadn’t teased her. It must be love. The thought made her chuckle inside.
In the throne room, Ashni discovered her throne had been destroyed in the fight, but there was a makeshift throne in its place—a table with a fancy sitting pillow atop it. She sat on it like it was made of priceless gems and inched over for Nakia to have space.
“Are you comfortable sitting?” Nakia asked in a low voice.
Ashni nodded. She had to be careful of all the bandaging, but sitting was fine. Better than walking. She could feel her skin pull as she sat, but it wasn’t bad considering the herbs she drank before making the journey f
rom her bed to her throne. Her medicine kicked in, numbing the agony enough for her to function.
“Where is Adira?” Ashni tried to call out, but getting her voice to cooperate was like raising the dead—annoying, unnecessary, and disrespectful. Servants rushed out in all directions to get her needs met, so she knew she’d see Adira soon.
“What do you think they did with your brother?” Nakia asked.
“He’s probably still unconscious from wounds suffered at my hands, but I’m sure Adira secured him somewhere. I need to get word to my mother, even though I’m sure she knows this happened.”
“And she allowed it?”
Ashni sucked her teeth. “She’s always telling us to work it out amongst ourselves.” Her mother didn’t like to take sides, ‘loving them all equally,’ which Ashni was sure was true. Still, it was irksome.
Nakia tilted her head. “Work out an attempted coup and assassination?”
“I think my mother feels like the techniques she used on us as kids should still work now. It doesn’t help that she’s an only child, so she doesn’t know how irksome an older brother can be. I think she also hopes one day we’ll all get along.” That was a dream inside a dream as far as she was concerned. Her older brothers had no desire to get along with her.
Nakia nodded and ordered some breakfast for Ashni while a servant delivered documents for her to look over. These were updates from the army in the West. Since they had been gone, the army still held its territory and took over a few small towns to advance. That was good enough for now. Hafiz had his sights set on a city, but Varaza talked him into waiting, which Ashni was thankful for. Yes, Hafiz was a good leader, but he wasn’t great yet.
“I’ve had things in hand since you went down,” Adira announced as she marched into the room.
Ashni glared at Adira, wishing she could disintegrate the general with her gaze. “I did not go down.” She stayed on her feet until the doctors worked on her.
Adira shrugged. “However you want to look at it. Layla’s investigating how Amal gained control. I suspect he poisoned your regent and appointed himself to the position.”
“And no one challenged that?”
Adira scoffed. “The only reason I didn’t get here sooner to make sure someone protected your princess is because he had most of the nobles locked down on my property with men who were threatening to burn down one of the storage spaces that had everyone’s children in it. When Layla showed up, I trusted her to handle it since I knew you’d need me. That coward took everyone’s children to keep them in line. Kidnapped them from their beds, like the worm he is. He couldn’t face anyone in this.”
Ashni sucked her teeth. “And he calls me a bastard. How’s it possible he’s my father’s child?”
Adira blew out a breath. “Damned if I know. To take a child from his bed is one thing, but to threaten to burn them to death is beyond me.”
“The children are all right, yes?”
“Some have cuts and bruises, beaten for being unruly, but they’re alive.”
Ashni scowled. “He beat children?” Really, how was Amal related to me in any way?
“If Layla was here, she’d remind you that you beat her.”
Ashni scoffed. “She was on the battlefield when that happened. She was a soldier, not asleep in her bed, minding her own damned business. Amal has managed to top being the scum I always thought he was.”
“Yeah, he’s definitely worse than we ever gave him credit for.” Adira rubbed her forehead. “But, getting things in order won’t be too hard now that the trustworthy members of the Court are able to make some moves.”
“Have you contacted my mother?” It needed to be done sooner rather than later and it wasn’t something Ashni desired to do. She wouldn’t know how to put it into words without letting her emotions get in the way and how Amal deserved nothing less than death for what happened here.
Adira sneered. “I did. If something doesn’t come of this, your mom needs some serious help. I understand you’re all her kids and she loves the hell out of you to the point where it makes me want to throw up, but come on. How many times does this little fucker need to try to kill you? He’s a fucking worm.”
“I agree with you completely. Have you made an assessment of how long this might take to fix?”
Adira rocked her head from side to side. “I think it shouldn’t take too long. I just want to make sure we gather up his men and any traitors among us. But, the trustworthy courtiers will handle most of it. Layla’s parents were hot over this, so I think we best leave her mother in charge and laugh when someone tries to poison her for the regency.”
Ashni chuckled. “Could you imagine? I should’ve done that from the beginning.” She had planned to leave Layla’s grandmother in charge as only a suicidal person would try to take anything from her, but she had students to train. The regent she left was trustworthy, but unfortunately mortal. Not that Layla’s family was immortal, but people tended to think twice about poisoning Shadow Walkers because sometimes it didn’t work.
“I’ll keep you involved, but you should heal up. No reason to return to the West too injured to get anything done beyond barking out orders. You know you want to do more than that.”
Ashni couldn’t argue. She wanted to charge back into the West and take part in battle just like her army. So, she let Adira handle the heavy lifting and ate breakfast to help her convalescence. She enjoyed Nakia feeding her, but it was nothing like she dreamed. It didn’t help that Nakia was quiet.
“Hellcat, you okay?” Is Nakia disappointed in me for getting injured? Nakia heard her bragging way too often to not think something was up for her getting hurt, especially by Amal. She was surprised at how he got the better of her. It was time to humble herself. No more hubris. She couldn’t take risks, like angering the gods or almost losing an eye now that she had Nakia in her life.
Nakia gave her a small, sad smile. “I am.”
“You look troubled.”
“Of course I’m troubled. You’re all bandaged up. Your brother tried to steal your kingdom and kill you. You don’t think your mother’s going to do anything about it. And to top it all off, you wouldn’t stay in bed to heal because you don’t want anyone to think Amal gained even an inch from you.”
Ashni nodded. “Is it too much?”
Nakia stared at her with a furrowed brow. “Is what too much? What do you mean?”
“Are you…would you…should I prepare to send you somewhere?” Ashni’s stomach dropped at the thought, and she feared the little she managed to eat would come back up.
Nakia squinted. “Why would you need to send me somewhere?”
Ashni shook her head. She was being paranoid. Nakia wanted to be with her. “In case you were worried about Amal and his people.”
“No. I don’t even know why I’d think to be worried. I’m with you. I’m staying by your side, just like I promised.”
Despite the fact that she was on a makeshift throne, Ashni felt like she was on a cloud reigning over the Heavens. She could settle this mess and go back to the West. She would also shower Nakia with every gift a woman could possibly want, because Nakia gave her the strength for everything she wanted.
Nakia stayed by her side as Ashni handled light work in regards to getting Khenshu back in working order. Nakia made sure she ate lunch and pulled her away from work to change her bandages. Well, Nakia watched someone change her bandages with the expressed desire to learn how to do it herself. She also learned how to apply different medicines to Ashni’s wounds. Ashni felt blessed once again. Nakia is definitely the best gift from the gods.
Ashni had Nakia and her closest friends with her. Everything seemed possible through them, which reminded her, she needed to make a sacrifice in Adira’s name sometime soon. The gods would have to understand her reasoning, after all Adira saved their greatest gift to her. Adira deserved honors.
***
Ashni could barely keep her eyes open. It had only been a few days of rig
hting the wrongs Amal subjected her dear capital city to, but it felt like an eternity. Nakia reached out, caressing her bandaged cheek.
“We should go to bed.”
Ashni had already learned this was code for you look tired. Time to stop working. “In a moment. I’m still waiting for Layla’s mother to show up.” Layla’s mother typically was punctual, but she had shouldered a lot of burden with this Amal mess. One of the most pressing matters for her was making sure all of the children Amal kidnapped were all right. Layla’s mother had gone around to check on them. The last report said most were healing well physically and a little shaken mentally, but fine.
Nakia sighed. “If she’s not here in an hour, we’re going to bed. I’m exhausted.”
Again, Ashni knew that was code for your exhausted. Nakia wasn’t wrong, but Ashni would never say so.
Samar, Layla’s mother, showed up a few minutes later. Nakia tensed beside her and she realized Nakia never had the chance to meet Samar. She probably didn’t know what to make of the plainly dressed woman with nearly black eyes that always seemed to study the whole universe while scrutinizing those in front of her. Her skin glowed like polished ebony, sweat from a hard day’s work.
“Highness.” Samar bowed her head as she stood before the makeshift throne. Adira had tried to replace it almost as soon as Ashni was up, but Ashni waved it off. The state of the throne wasn’t important. She was on the throne and that was all that mattered.
“Lady Samar, I trust all your business has been handled,” Ashni said.
“For the most part. I don’t take you summoning me lightly, especially on this matter. But, we let our guard down while you were on campaign and we can’t let that happen again, not after what he did. So, for as long as you need me, I’m here.”
Ashni smiled. “I know if anyone else tries anything, they’ll have to wrestle this throne from your cold dead hands after they step over the bodies of your clan.”
Samar scoffed. “After what Amal tried, I wouldn’t even let something grow into that. Do you know he came to us in peace, sat with us, had tea, talked of when you and Layla first met, and then stole away all the children while we worked? Held our clan’s next generation and let us hear their cries.”
Taming the Wind Page 25
