Khalshir (Kingmakers Book 1)

by Jaye McKenna

  Rio cleared his throat. “Our condolences, sir.”

  “Condolences are unnecessary. My concern — and yours — is with my remaining son, Danakho. I’ve taken steps to declare him my heir, but as soon as that becomes public knowledge, he, too, may be a target.”

  “Do you have any idea what direction an attack might come from?” Rio asked. “Enemies? Rivals? Jealous relatives?” In Jherek’s line of work, multiple enemies were inevitable, and would make Coryn and Rio’s job that much more difficult.

  “Too many to count,” Jherek said grimly, but didn’t elaborate.

  Rio exchanged a worried glance with Coryn. “Will Danakho obey our orders?”

  “He understands the situation,” Jherek said, which wasn’t exactly an answer.

  “Did your investigation turn up any leads at all?” Coryn asked.

  “None. Though it occurs to me that if someone were determined enough to murder my son, they might also be determined enough to defy the king’s law and employ a mythe-weaver to hide any evidence of foul play.”

  Coryn stiffened. Rio could almost feel the tension radiating from him. Mere mention of weaving the mythe did that to Coryn ever since he’d been accepted by the Khalshir for training. Rio had no idea what had happened to him in the two years it took for him to make the journey from Vhalion to Akhat, but whatever it was, it had put the fear of the mythe into him.

  “Although the authorities have closed the case, my own investigation of the incident is ongoing,” Jherek went on, oblivious to Coryn’s discomfort. “I will inform you if I should happen to uncover anything relevant to your duties. Any questions?”

  Rio glanced at Coryn, who shook his head. “No, sir.”

  “Good.” Jherek’s eyes met Rio’s and then Coryn’s. “Whatever it takes to keep my son alive, do it.”

  * * *

  Dani stood in the middle of Haiden’s bedroom, closed his eyes, and inhaled deeply.

  Nothing. Every last trace of his brother’s scent was gone. The room smelled just like the rest of the suite now. He sank down on Haiden’s bed and found himself staring at the stack of books on the nightstand. Near his feet, Haiden’s slippers peeped out from under the bed, and across the room, his nightshirt still lay over the back of a chair, where he’d slung it that terrible morning.

  Dani hadn’t allowed anyone to touch anything except for the clothing they’d needed for the funeral. Looking at Haiden’s things, all exactly where Haiden had left them, he could almost imagine his twin was just beyond the door, in the main room of the suite, perhaps talking to Pen.

  Almost. But not quite, for even though his eyes couldn’t tell the difference between Haiden in the other room and Haiden dead and buried, his mind could. The intangible awareness that had bound them to one another since before Dani could remember was gone, replaced by the cacophony of a thousand other minds, all clamoring for his attention.

  Here at the estate, over half an hour’s ride from the edge of the city of Jakhar, it was just a low murmur in the background, but in the city itself…

  Dani shuddered at the thought of his upcoming visit to Lady Eslian at the Finnia townhouse. He’d never manage it. He’d tried venturing into the city two weeks ago with Mother, when they’d both thought he’d mastered the only shielding pattern she knew. It hadn’t been enough. They’d only made it halfway there before the noise became unbearable, and Mother had to order the driver to turn around because Dani was ill.

  “Are you all right?” Pen’s voice startled him, and Dani looked up to see the older man hovering in the doorway.

  Part of him wanted to snap that no, he wasn’t all right, hadn’t been anything like all right since his brother had been torn away from him. But Pen didn’t deserve that. He’d been nothing but kind and patient with Dani for the past month, so Dani pressed his lips together and dug his fingers into Haiden’s quilt until the urge to lash out had passed.

  Pen remained in the doorway, waiting for a response of some sort. Finally, Dani said in a dull voice, “He wants me to go into the city. Maybe as soon as next week. I’m to begin courting Albrin Finnia’s daughter, Eslian.” He lifted his head to stare at Pen. “I’ll have to take the anzaria, only… it makes me so drowsy and slow. I won’t be able to hide it from Father. He’ll know something’s wrong.”

  “We’ll say you’re ill,” Pen said.

  Dani shook his head. “That might work once, but then what? I’ll just have to do my best. Maybe we can counteract the drowsiness with some strong tea.”

  Pen looked doubtful, but said, “We can surely try, sir.”

  “What am I going to do, Pen?” Dani stared down at his hands as the enormity of what he faced began to sink in. “Haiden went into the city with him nearly every day. Even if the tea helps keep me alert, we haven’t enough anzaria. Mother only had the one bottle, and it’s not the sort of thing we can buy at the market.”

  “Haiden was his assistant,” Pen reminded him. “I can’t see him wanting you to accompany him regularly for some time. You’re nowhere near ready to take up Haiden’s duties.”

  “I might never be ready,” Dani said gloomily. “He’s only just realized I can’t read. He’s hiring a tutor for me. I dread to think what’s going to happen when he realizes it’s not going to help.”

  “Ai, but it does buy us a bit of time, doesn’t it?” Pen said. “If he’s hiring on a tutor, that means he wants you to focus on your studies for the moment. He’s not going to take time away from that by having you accompany him every day, not to begin with. That will allow us to conserve the anzaria. Hopefully, your mother will have convinced your uncle to help you before we run out.”

  “Without causing a diplomatic incident?” Dani gave Pen a rueful smile. “I might not be able to read, but I’m not stupid, Pen. I know how it is. Father’s got both the king’s ear and his favor. Even if Uncle Ty can be convinced to approach the king, Nezaine isn’t going to agree to something my father’s so set against.” He let out a heavy sigh. “I fear I’m stuck here. And once the anzaria is gone, Father will find out—”

  A knock on the suite’s outer door shut Dani up quickly. Pen exchanged a fearful glance with him, but a moment later, relaxed a bit. “Ah, yes. This will be your new bodyguard. I was told he’d be starting soon after lunch.” Pen turned on his heel and went to answer the door.

  Dani heard voices in the hallway. One belonged to Hawk, the guard captain, but the other was male, rich and husky, all honey and smoke. Curious, he rose from his seat and edged toward the bedroom door. If he stood just to one side, he’d be mostly out of sight, but have a clear view of the suite’s entryway.

  He wasn’t certain what he’d been expecting when his father said he’d hired a pair of elite bodyguards to watch over him, but the man standing at Hawk’s side was definitely not the first thing that came to mind. With his red-brown skin and dark hair, he could have been brother to Hawk. He was lean and sleek like a forest cat, and he spoke like an educated noble rather than a common guardsman.

  And that voice…

  Dani could have listened to that voice for hours. Which, he realized with a start, was exactly what he would be doing for the foreseeable future. He moved his foot to withdraw back into the safety of Haiden’s bedroom, but before he could get out of sight, the bodyguard’s dark eyes shot across the room and pinned him, raking over him, appraising him, and then just as clearly dismissing him.

  Dani’s chest tightened in panic as he realized those eyes would be watching him every minute of every day, reporting his every word and deed back to his father.

  How long would his deadly secret keep under this man’s scrutiny?

  Pen turned his head to see what had caught the man’s attention, and beckoned to Dani. “Master Dani, if you could spare a moment, your new bodyguard is here.”

  Mutely, Dani retreated, closing and locking the door after him. In the other room, all was silent, and Dani continued backing up, eyes fixed on the door, until the backs of his legs bumped up ag
ainst the wide window seat.

  A knock on the door had him nearly jumping out of his skin. “Master Danakho?” It was that intriguing voice.

  Dani almost answered, but stopped before any sound could escape.

  What would happen if he didn’t answer?

  Another sharp rap, followed by a rattling of the doorknob. “Master Danakho, unlock the door.”

  Still, Dani said nothing.

  A low murmur of voices came from beyond the door. A moment later, he heard a click, and the door swung open to reveal the bodyguard. Behind him, Pen hovered, but shrank back into the suite’s main room when Dani’s accusatory glare fell upon him.

  “H-how did you get in here?” Dani demanded, fighting to keep his voice steady. “I locked the door.”

  White teeth flashed against dark skin. “Now, don’t go blaming poor Pendrin.” The man held up a tiny tool. “I asked for the key, but he wouldn’t hand it over.” He glanced back over his shoulder toward Pen. “We’ll be discussing that when we talk about ground rules.”

  Ground rules? Dani shivered and wrapped his arms about himself. Secrets would be impossible to keep around this man. “You picked the lock?”

  “I was hired to protect you, Master Danakho. I can’t do that if I can’t see you.” He stepped into the room — Haiden’s room, the room no one else had been in since Haiden’s death.

  The casual invasion of his private place of mourning was too much for Dani. “Don’t come in here,” he said, stepping forward. “This is… I mean, I’d rather talk to you out there.” He waved a hand toward the main room of the suite.

  Dark eyes searched his face for several interminable seconds before the man nodded and left the room. Dani followed, closing the door quietly behind him.

  Out in the main room, Pen came forward to make the introductions. “Master Danakho, this is Rio. At your father’s orders, he’s commencing his duties immediately. You’ll meet the night guard, Coryn, tonight after dinner.”

  Dani glanced at Pen. Was he to have no privacy at all? “N-night guard?” he asked, hating the way his voice trembled.

  “Your father’s paying for round-the-clock coverage,” Rio said. “That means you’re guarded every minute of every day.”

  Dani stared at him in horror. This was worse than he’d imagined. “You… you mean even when I bathe?”

  “Ai.”

  “And… and when I sleep?”

  “Ai. That’ll be Coryn’s job.”

  Dani shot a pleading look at Pen. With Mother gone and Haiden dead, Pen was the only one left he could really talk to, and if this man was with him every second of every day… Worse, how was he going to explain the anzaria he had to take before going into the city?

  The same thought must have occurred to Pen, for his brow furrowed as he returned Dani’s gaze.

  “Now, about those ground rules,” Rio continued. “There’s really only one rule, Master Danakho, and it isn’t complicated. Where your safety is concerned, you answer to me or Coryn. If we tell you to do something, you do it without question and without argument. Are we clear?”

  At first, Dani was too shocked to answer. No one in his father’s employ had ever spoken to him in such a manner. He swallowed hard and drew himself up to his full height, which was still at least a handsbreadth shorter than Rio’s. “Is that what my father told you?” he asked.

  “Your father is paying me to guard your life. And that’s what I intend to do.” Rio’s dark eyes softened and his tone gentled. “It will be easier for both of us if you cooperate.”

  Dani frowned. Surely the man had misunderstood his orders. If Father thought his life was in danger, it only made sense to hire extra bodyguards, but they could do their job standing in the hallway just as efficiently as they could breathing down his neck. “I’d like to verify that with my father, if you don’t mind.” He started for the door of the suite, but Pen put a restraining hand on his shoulder.

  “Master Dani, we both know he doesn’t like to be interrupted. Don’t you think it would be better to wait and speak to him at dinner?”

  “No, Pen.” Dani shrugged him off. “If I don’t go now, I’ll lose my nerve. And anyway, I can’t see him being angry with me if his orders were misinterpreted.” And if they had been, he wanted the misunderstanding cleared up immediately. The thought of having anyone watching him so closely gave him the shivers. He’d be able to hide nothing.

  He was down the central staircase and crossing the main hall before he realized Rio was following him. Outside his father’s office, he stopped and hesitated only a moment before raising his hand to knock.

  “Come in.” Larrad sounded irritable, and for just a moment, Dani’s resolve wavered. It was too late, though — he’d knocked, and now he was committed. He straightened his spine and opened the door, prepared to face his father, who was already rising from behind his desk.

  “This had better be important, Danakho. I have members of the King’s Council meeting me here in an hour, and I need time to prepare.”

  “I’m sorry for interrupting you, Father. I won’t take much of your time. I just wanted some clarification regarding your orders to these bodyguards.”

  “Oh?” Larrad’s hard brown eyes shifted from Dani to Rio and back again.

  “When you said I was to have personal bodyguards, I thought you meant they’d be guarding my suite. Not… not following me around everywhere, watching my every move.”

  Larrad arched an eyebrow. “They are here to guard your body, not your suite. You’ll have to get used to them.”

  “But… but… this one says they’ll be with me all the time. Even while I sleep!”

  “That is the general idea, Danakho. Was there anything else?”

  “You can’t be serious! What about my privacy?” Panic simmered in his belly, and Dani’s voice rose in spite of his attempts to keep his tone calm and civil.

  “They are not here to guarantee your privacy.”

  “I don’t need—”

  His father’s anger hit him like a firestorm, overwhelming him before he was even consciously aware of it. Hot and wild, it burned through Dani’s mind, blotting out everything else. He staggered under the onslaught, struggling to shut it out, but the flimsy shield his mother had taught him was no match for his father’s fury.

  He didn’t see Larrad move, but the backhand across his face sent him reeling, and if it hadn’t been for Rio catching him and holding him steady, he’d have hit the floor. The fire in his mind died with the blow, fading into the background as quickly as it had burst forth. Ears ringing, Dani pressed a hand to his cheek.

  It wasn’t the blow itself that was a shock. It was that Larrad had done it in front of a witness. Eyes stinging, Dani struggled free of Rio and bolted from the office before he disgraced himself with tears. The moment he was safe in the hallway with the office door between himself and Larrad, Dani sagged. He was shaking so hard, he had to lean against the wall and take a few deep breaths. Without a word, Rio took hold of his arm, steadying him. Torn between being grateful for the support and mortified at what the bodyguard had witnessed, Dani kept his eyes fixed on the floor and tried not to imagine what Rio must be thinking.

  “I thought you were supposed to protect me,” Dani muttered as they made their way back up the wide central staircase.

  “I started to,” Rio said softly.

  “You… you did?” At the top of the stairs, Dani risked a glance at him. Dark eyes met his own, clear and steady.

  “I tried to move between you as soon as I realized he meant to strike you. He looked right at me and shook his head.” Rio dropped his gaze. “I’m sorry. You’re my charge, but he’s my employer. He’s the one who gives me my orders.” He sounded as if he genuinely regretted not being able to help.

  “It… it’s not your fault,” Dani murmured and started down the hall toward his suite, shoulders sagging in defeat. It looked like he was stuck with Rio whether he liked it or not.

  * * *

 
After his disastrous meeting with his father, Danakho spent the rest of the afternoon in the bedroom Rio had deduced was his brother’s. He curled up on the window seat and stared out at the horse pastures and the forest beyond. Rio stood guard by the door and did his best to make himself invisible.

  It wasn’t good enough, of course. Danakho kept twisting around to glance at him, clearly unsettled by his presence.

  During the periods when his charge was occupied with the view outside, Rio took the opportunity to study the young man. Aside from his dark auburn hair, Danakho looked nothing like his father. While Lord Jherek was tall and broad, Danakho was slender, and only a little taller than Coryn. His eyes were a brown so light it was almost gold, and his pale skin appeared flawless — or at least, it had before his father had backhanded him. Lord Jherek’s features might be coarse and rough, but his son was beautiful, outshining most of the court decorations — male and female — of Rio’s acquaintance in both Akhat and Galena.

  But for all the luxuries and opportunities his father’s wealth must have afforded him, Danakho Jherek was not a happy young man. That he was still grieving for his brother was obvious, and when Larrad had smacked him, something about the shock and hurt in those gentle golden eyes had brought out every protective instinct Rio had. The same instincts that had moved him to take Coryn under his wing when they’d been boys in Vhalion.

  “I’m sorry you had to see that.” Danakho’s voice broke into Rio’s thoughts, and he focused on his charge, who had swung around on the window seat to face him.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’t stop him,” Rio offered, then added impulsively, “And… and I’m sorry for your loss.”

  “Are you?” Golden-brown eyes searched his face. “Everyone says that, but they don’t really mean it. It’s just something to say, to stop them from feeling awkward.”