ARC: Assassin Queen

by Anna Kashina

  Ulhari’s face darkened. “Yes, the Dark Order. We knew they were trouble, ever since the times they started bending our people to their will to claim the lands around their stronghold.”

  “Bending people to their will?” Kara didn’t feel surprised. The Kaddim’s mind magic made it easy for them to force people to do what they wanted. “What did they do to your people, Ulhari?”

  “Nothing permanent, fortunately,” Ulhari said. “I must assume they didn’t want to make us their mortal enemies. Over time, we have achieved a shaky balance, of sorts.”

  “A balance?”

  Ulhari shifted in her seat. “The valley where their fortress stands is called Im’ahir. The Valley of Whispers. Anyone who ventures into it starts hearing noises, voices in their head. It feels like a madness, which lifts only after they find a way out, with no memories of what they saw inside. By now, we’ve all learned well which area to avoid.”

  The Valley of Whispers. A shiver ran down Kara’s spine. The voices Ulhari described seemed so similar to the way she knew Kaddim’s magic to work, clouding one’s mind, making one unfocused and weak, unable to do even the simplest things. Like a madness. She hoped Kyth’s magic, and Mai’s fighting force, were prepared to deal with that.

  “All we need is for the Cha’idi to show us the way,” she said.

  “And then?”

  “Our allied army is making plans to defeat them.” Plans I’m not privy to. She knew she shouldn’t venture into any details about the Kaddim link, but suddenly the thought of having this conversation without divulging any further details seemed odd. Ulhari’s intent gaze told her the Cha’idi woman also realized something was amiss, but she had no idea how to remedy the situation.

  “Did your army find a way to resist the Dark Order’s magic?” Ulhari asked.

  “Yes. We have a man joining us shortly who can protect everyone.”

  “One man?”

  “A very powerful one.” Kara hoped it was true, after Kyth had completed Ayalla’s training. In any case, even if she had any doubts, she shouldn’t be showing them to the Cha’idi leader – not in a conversation that could end in a rejection far too easily, ruining all their plans.

  “I was hoping,” Kara said, “that the Cha’idi can work directly with the Majat. Their leader, Aghat Mai, has my full confidence.”

  Jamal glanced away abruptly. Kara saw the Cha’idi’s eyes fixed on him.

  She sighed. It was time to deal with the situation.

  “Perhaps you’d like to add something, Prince Jamal?” she asked.

  Jamal pursed his lips, looking at her apprehensively. “Would you like me to, my Queen?”

  “Not really.”

  “Why ask me then?”

  She smiled. “Because I value your opinion, brother. This is why you are here. Besides, I would much rather discuss what you have to say out in the open, not as rumors later on. You seem to be brimming with a desire to speak. I wouldn’t want to keep you from it.”

  He leaned away from her. “Very well, sister. Before you throw our Cha’idi allies into this trusting relationship with the Majat, perhaps you should let them know about your own personal bonds to them?”

  Kara turned back to Ulhari. “Of course. I’ve been raised at the Majat Guild. But, I expect you’ve heard about it, haven’t you?”

  Ulhari looked back to Jamal who sat up taller, keeping his eyes on Kara.

  “Have you also heard about her… personal relationship with the Majat Guildmaster who is leading their forces?” he said.

  Ulhari raised her eyebrows. “Personal relationship? What exactly do you mean?”

  “They’ve been intimate – or so I understand.”

  The older woman frowned. “I thought the Majat men were celibate.”

  “Apparently not.” Jamal kept his chin up, but he did look somewhat deflated.

  Ulhari turned to Kara. “You’ve been intimate with the Majat Guildmaster?”

  “Yes.” Try as she might, Kara couldn’t help the blush that rose into her cheeks.

  “Did you enjoy it?”

  “I did.” Kara felt hot now, despite the cool evening wind wafting through the tent.

  Ulhari leaned forward and patted her arm. “Good for you. Things like this make me wish I was younger, still able to chase after men I took fancy to.”

  Kara could have wondered at this statement, but everything she had learned in Shayil Yara made it seem natural by now. In this kingdom, men’s and women’s roles were reversed compared to what she was used to. Chasing men in Ulhari’s case made perfect sense.

  She glanced at Jamal, noting how the Prince receded into his seat. She knew it probably wasn’t going to be his last attempt to discredit her, nor their last conversation on the topic. She would just have to deal with it day to day, just like she dealt with everything else.

  “Still,” Ulhari said. “I believe Prince Jamal may have a valid point. However good a lover the Majat Guildmaster is, he also has a reputation for being ruthless and dominant. Are you absolutely sure you can trust him?”

  Kara sighed again. Despite everything else, she felt touched by the concern. This woman had played with her mother when they were children. This made her almost like family, if only Kara had any experience dealing with any family members.

  “You remember how you spoke about my mother?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “You feel you knew her, because you and she grew up together, right?”

  “Right.” Ulhari was looking at her with interest.

  “I was raised in the Majat Fortress,” Kara said. “Aghat Mai and I grew up together, even if he and I didn’t exactly play as children.” He is also my soul mate. She forced down the useless thought she’d best forget. “Believe me when I tell you that my trust in him has nothing to do with our… relationship. I trust him implicitly, probably more than anyone else in the world.”

  Ulhari nodded slowly. “The way you speak about him does make him seem special.”

  “I’m sure you will enjoy meeting him.” If he chooses to show his enjoyable side. Kara dismissed this thought too. She knew Mai would do everything necessary to ensure Ulhari’s trust.

  “I’m certainly intrigued,” Ulhari said.

  Kara swallowed. “Before I invite him here, however, there is one more thing I must tell you, I’m afraid. It’s about our enemies, the Kaddim. I’ve encountered them before. During our last battle, they’ve planted their magic inside me. It has been temporarily silenced by a very powerful spell, but once we reach the fortress, their closeness may have unpredictable effects on me. I may become… incapacitated.” Or murderous and violent. She glanced at Jamal. As a man close to her and more or less in charge of her security, her link had been explained to him in detail. She knew he was still having trouble accepting it.

  “When it comes to this campaign,” she said, “I need you to trust Aghat Mai’s judgment over mine, Ulhari. At all times.”

  Ulhari kept her gaze. “This is a very big statement to make, my Queen.”

  “Believe me, I know how it looks. I don’t say it lightly. And now that you know the extent of it, you can perhaps hold your judgment until you and Aghat Mai have a chance to talk?”

  36

  Battle Plan

  Kyth dismounted and led his lizardbeast toward the group of tents set out among the sands. The familiar sight of the Majat camp made his arrival feel like a homecoming, entering an oasis of the known among the hostile desert sands. He exchanged a glance with Alder and Celana walking by his side. The lady’s brief smile sent a surge of warmth down his spine, bringing a surge of disbelief in its wake. How could he possibly be so lucky?

  His eyes narrowed as he saw two men standing beside the nearest tent, waiting for their arrival. Mai and Egey Bashi – unescorted and unguarded, as far as Kyth could tell. His heart raced with worry. What were they doing out here, all by themselves? Where was Kara, and the Majat guards that normally followed Mai everywhere he went?

>   He sped down the sloping dune and stopped in front of Mai, meeting his blue-gray gaze.

  “Welcome back,” Mai said.

  Kyth bowed, the official greeting coming naturally despite the informal setting. He couldn’t help wondering at the lack of usual resentment he felt in Mai’s presence. Was this a change in his own perception, due to his closeness with Celana that made him feel he and Mai were no longer rivals? Or was it coming from Mai’s side? Kyth could swear that the Diamond seemed more detached than usual, as if his thoughts were otherwise preoccupied. He frowned, trying and failing to catch any signs of an answer in Mai’s impenetrable face.

  On their last stop Kyth had received Egey Bashi’s message, relayed by a hawk, briefly describing the events at the Shayil Yaran court and the way Kara had become Queen. The coincidence, as well as the implications, seemed enormous. On the outside, this solved all their immediate political problems, putting the entire military force of Shayil Yara at their disposal. On a deeper level, however, Kyth knew enough to understand that the change of Shayil Yaran rule also shattered all possible hopes for Kara and Mai to pursue their marriage plans, and likely made it impossible for them to ever be together. Kyth was sure both of them were feeling devastated right now, even if these considerations couldn’t possibly be the most immediate priority on their list.

  His heart quivered. Was this why Kara wasn’t here to meet him, why Mai seemed so absentminded, as if lacking some of his usual fire? Kyth never thought he’d miss their constant arguments, but he suddenly felt anxious for Mai to bait him, or at least say something edgy like he always did when Kyth was around.

  “How was your training, Prince Kythar?” Egey Bashi asked, his voice cutting into the heavy pause that was beginning to feel too long. His eyes briefly drifted to Celana, standing so close to Kyth that their arms brushed each other as they moved. Kyth glanced at her too, suddenly guilty that he could be feeling so happy right now. He had to remind himself of the times when Kara and Mai couldn’t stay away from each other and he had been forced to watch. Did they feel guilty about it when it happened? Well, Kara did, perhaps, but did Mai?

  “Lady Ayalla believes my training is complete,” Kyth said.

  “Is it?” Mai asked.

  Here it was. The challenge, instantly bringing back a mix of relief and the usual irritation Kyth tended to feel in Mai’s presence. He smiled. The feeling seemed so welcome after the devastation he had just glimpsed. Of all things, he had never imagined he would miss his headbutting sessions with Mai.

  He extended his hand palm-down over the sand, bringing up a small whirlwind, lifting it off the ground so that it swept the edge of Mai’s cloak and threw a handful of sand over his boots. He turned his palm up, watching the whirlwind climb on to it, coiling down like a snake, dying down as the sand it raised in its wake showered back to the ground.

  Kyth knew that this little demonstration couldn’t possibly explain anything at all about the power he gained, but it was likely going to ward off any further questions in regard to his magic ability.

  “I think it is,” he said.

  Mai didn’t respond, but the way his eyes lingered on the flat patch of sand at their feet told Kyth he was impressed.

  “I have something to discuss with all of you.” Egey Bashi’s glance included not only Kyth and Mai, but also Alder and Celana, bringing a momentary sense of relief. Kyth did want both of his companions to be a part of the planning.

  “I ordered the command tent off limits,” Mai said. “My Emeralds are guarding it. We can talk in there.”

  Kyth cast his eyes around the camp again, noticing something new he didn’t spot before. People walking around or standing guard by some of the tents were wearing sand-colored desert robes. Peering closer, Kyth realized more. Some of these people looked natural, but others did not, as if the robes were only a last-minute addition to their wardrobe. Once or twice, Kyth imagined he caught a glint of golden plate from underneath them.

  Mai followed his gaze. “The Cha’idi desert garments. We asked the Golden Lions, Shayil Yara’s elite battalion, to wear them too, to cover their usual crimson and gold. They didn’t take well to these orders. Nor do they seem able to wear them gracefully enough.”

  Shayil Yara’s elite battalion. The Queen’s personal guards. Kyth ached to ask more, but Mai’s detached gaze warned him off.

  The command tent was cooler than seemed possible with the heat outside. As Kyth settled onto the seating pillows near a small empty stove, he noticed the tent flaps skillfully raised to let the breeze waft through. He wished he had learned this trick yesterday, when they started their ride through the desert from Gard’hal Outpost to meet with the Majat and had to wait for nightfall before venturing into their oven-hot tents.

  “This conversation is a secret from nearly everyone in our camp,” Egey Bashi said. “After we finalize the plans, Aghat Mai will divulge the necessary details to his men to enable the attack. But I cannot stress enough that under no circumstances should Kara, or anyone close to her, learn any of this. Is this clear?”

  Kara. Kyth realized he couldn’t possibly continue his conversation without knowing more.

  “What’s Kara’s situation?” He purposely avoided looking at Mai as he said this, but he still noticed the way the Diamond shifted in his seat, as if Kyth kicked him in a sore spot.

  “Her link is still dormant,” Egey Bashi said. “And, from what I can tell, she is coping admirably with her new duties. She has singlehandedly ensured that both the Cha’idi and the Shayil Yaran elite troops follow Aghat Mai pretty much unconditionally…”

  He let the end of the phrase trail, as if he hadn’t finished the thought. Kyth didn’t want to venture any further. He had no doubt Kara would cope admirably with her new role, but he couldn’t even guess the price she and Mai were paying for it.

  “Have you learned anything else, Magister?” Kyth asked.

  “Yes. During my last days in the Shayil Yaran royal library, I found the information I hoped for about the Kaddim link. I believe I know the worst we could expect, if the Kaddim plans in regard to Kara are allowed to succeed.”

  Kyth raised his eyebrows in a silent question, noting how everyone else in the group also sat up to attention – in the case of Mai, without moving at all.

  “They can use the link in several ways,” Egey Bashi said. “First – as we thought they would, originally – they can channel Kara’s gift evenly to all Kaddim warriors. I’ve been able to learn, however, that with Lady Ayalla’s interference they wouldn’t have had enough time to do it, even if this had been their original plan.”

  “Are you absolutely certain, Magister?” Mai said.

  “Have you noticed any change in her fighting ability?”

  “I’m not sure. She has been suppressing it for so long…” Mai fell silent, as if recalling.

  “If you need to think this hard, it means there was no drastic change, I assume.”

  “No, not a drastic one.”

  Egey Bashi nodded. “I thought so. If they managed to draw her power away, she would have been weaker by now.”

  “Isn’t that good news?” Mai asked.

  “Sadly, no, Aghat. My research revealed another possible way of using the Kaddim mind link, one that I would have favored in their place.” Egey Bashi glanced around the group, his eyes singling out Lady Celana. “You and I once discussed how the Kaddim are ruled by the Cursed Dozen, with the Reincarnate at the head. Remember, my lady?”

  “Yes,” she said, her face reflecting the puzzlement of the rest of the group.

  “One of their special abilities is to link their minds, so that they can all act like one, fully sharing each other’s powers and thoughts. The Reincarnate’s presence cements and amplifies this connection, and ensures that no outside magic or force can possibly break it.”

  Kyth shivered. He had seen it once, when five Kaddim leaders acted like one to throw daggers and mortally wound Kara. If twelve of them together could do it any be
tter, if their Reincarnate could amplify and cement this, it would indeed be terrifying to face. But how did this apply to the situation they faced?

  “You do remember that they recently lost one of their Dozen to a spider bite,” Egey Bashi said. “My guess is, they will put Kara in his place, and blend with her during the fight to share her skill.”

  Mai looked up sharply. “What do you mean, put Kara in his place? She’s no bloody Kaddim.”

  “Once she feels the draw of the link again, her mind will be altered. She will be feeling like one of them. My guess is, they are grooming her to become a new Kaddim Brother – or Sister, if you will.”

  Mai clenched his teeth. “Are you telling me we are about to face another family reunion?”

  “Yes. And if this happens, I believe your attack force will be in trouble, Aghat Mai. You have only six Diamonds. They would have twelve, all fighting with Kara’s skill, and with the unison that defeats anything the Majat could even imagine.”

  Mai held a pause, his stunned look sending a shiver down Kyth’s spine. This sounded like really bad news.

  “I’m guessing that the outcome of this war will not be decided on the main battlefield, Aghat Mai,” Egey Bashi said. “Their leaders will stay behind, in the heart of their fortress, blending their magic and using it to empower their warriors. To win, you must take out this command group. With Kara in their midst, this would likely prove impossible.”

  “Then,” Mai said slowly, “we should make sure she never leaves our camp, should we?”

  “I shouldn’t be the one to tell you how hard it could be, Aghat. You can’t guard her day and night without jeopardizing your own strength. Remember also that she cannot be killed, or they will inherit her skill, along with her knowledge. Very likely they are already thinking of her as one of their own, even if she may not feel it yet.”

  Mai sat very still, his dazed look making it seem as if he had just been hit on the head.

  “What options do we have, Magister?” he asked.

  “I see only one, Aghat Mai. You and your men must get Prince Kythar into the heart of the Kaddim fortress as soon as possible, and at all cost. Killing the Reincarnate will destroy the link and make them vulnerable again. If you can achieve that, Lady Ayalla’s spiders can finish the job.” He turned to Alder. “You did bring the spiders, did you?”