Khalshir (Kingmakers Book 1)

by Jaye McKenna

  “But—” Dani started to protest, but the words died in his throat before he could give voice to them. If he refused to go into the city, an explanation would be demanded, and the only explanation Dani had would get him executed. No longer hungry, he withdrew his hand without taking another piece of bread. “Yes, sir,” he said, lowering his eyes. “I’ll be ready.”

  Somehow.

  * * *

  The fields and trees blurred into green and brown streaks, and despite the jarring motion of the carriage, Dani’s eyes were growing heavy.

  “Master Danakho?”

  Rio’s voice jolted him out of the hazy beginnings of a dream. He opened his eyes, blinking at Rio, who sat up straight and alert on the wide bench seat opposite him.

  “Wha—are we there?”

  “No. We haven’t even reached the outskirts of the city yet. We’re still passing through farmland.” Rio frowned at him. “Are you feeling all right?”

  “Fine.” Dani sat up straighter and shifted on the slippery leather seat in an attempt to fight off the heaviness in his head. Anzaria made Dani both drowsy and dizzy, though he could hardly admit that to Rio. “I had a… a difficult night.” He waved a hand dismissively. “Bad dreams.”

  Pen must have been warned about the excursion, for he’d been waiting for Dani in his dressing room after breakfast with the bottle of anzaria concealed in the inner pocket of his jacket. While they’d pretended to argue over which suits of clothing should be altered, Pen had given Dani a measure of the drug without Rio being any the wiser.

  Dani had counted it a victory, but now he wasn’t so sure. He was so dizzy he feared he might not be able to step down out of the carriage without falling flat on his face.

  When he glanced at Rio, the bodyguard was studying him intently, dark eyes narrowed slightly. “Did you take any medicine to help you sleep?”

  “No, I—” Dani started to deny taking any medicine at all, but stopped as he realized the lingering effects of a sleeping draught would easily explain his current state. “I mean, yes. I took a sleeping draught last night. But it didn’t help. It never does. Only seems to work the following morning, when I don’t need it anymore.” He let out a nervous laugh, then pressed his lips together and stared out the window, determined to stay awake until they reached their destination.

  He didn’t look at Rio again, but he was certain he could feel the man’s eyes on him.

  The rest of the drive seemed to take forever. When they arrived at the tailor’s shop, Rio hastened to help Dani out of the carriage, clearly aware that his charge was not quite himself.

  Master Derrin was waiting. He directed the footman to hang Dani’s clothing in the changing room, then turned to Dani. “Good morning, Master Danakho. I’m afraid this is my busiest month of the season, and we don’t have much time, so if you’d be so good as to get changed, we can begin.”

  “Yes, of course.” Dani’s tongue felt like a lump of wet wool, and he had to make a conscious effort not to slur his words. “Thank you for fitting me in at such short notice.”

  To Dani’s dismay, Rio followed him into the dressing room. After checking the room thoroughly, Rio stationed himself by the door.

  “I’m n-not sh-changing in front of you,” Dani said.

  “I’m not familiar with this building, sir, so you’re not leaving my sight.” Rio’s tone did not invite argument.

  Dani flushed and turned his back on him. He shrugged out of his jacket easily enough, but the shirt proved to be a problem. Too many tiny buttons, and his fingers felt too thick and clumsy to manage them. He was still struggling with the top one when there was a rap on the door and Master Derrin called, “Do hurry up, Master Danakho, or we won’t have time. Lady Somerin is due in less than an hour for a fitting, and we shall have to be finished by then.”

  “Give me a moment,” Dani called back. Face flaming, he turned to Rio and gestured to the buttons. “If it’s not too much trouble, would… could you…”

  Rio hesitated, as if he were trying to decide if helping his charge undress was part of his mandate.

  “Please. Father will be furious if I haven’t anything decent to wear when I go courting next week.” Dani spoke slowly, making an effort to enunciate each word carefully so they didn’t all slur and run together like they wanted to.

  Rio’s expression softened, and he stepped forward. Starting at the top, he deftly unbuttoned Dani’s shirt. Dani stood still and tried not to think too much about the handsome bodyguard he’d invited to undress him.

  Unfortunately, Rio was all business. He kept his eyes averted and was careful not to let even a fingertip brush against Dani’s skin. Warm breath caressed Dani’s cheek, and he had to content himself with that.

  A sudden wave of dizziness washed over him. He swayed and would have collapsed had Rio not flung an arm around him and hauled him close to steady him.

  “Easy,” Rio said. “Do you need to sit down?”

  “N-no.” Dani shook his head, but that was a mistake. The tiny changing room spun, and he clung to Rio and squeezed his eyes shut, hoping it wouldn’t take him with it.

  Rio guided him to the padded chair in the corner and sat him down, then knelt down in front of him and continued undoing the buttons. “Are you sure you’re all right, sir?”

  “Dizzy,” Dani murmured. “I might need a bit more help than just the buttons.”

  Rio nodded and set about assisting him. The hour passed in a blur, but they did manage to get all of the clothing Dani had brought marked for the alterations. Rio explained to Master Derrin about the sleeping draught, and the tailor gave Dani’s arm a sympathetic pat.

  “It’s no wonder you’re feeling poorly, young master,” he said as they made ready to leave. “After all you’ve been through. Tell your father I’ll have these delivered in five days, as we agreed.”

  Dani thanked the tailor, and with Rio’s help, climbed back into the carriage. He’d have to talk to Pen about trying a lower dose of anzaria. Larrad would never tolerate him being this dizzy and drowsy when they went into the city together.

  He settled back in his seat and waited for Rio, torn between relief at the appointment being over and fear that Rio might say something to his father about his condition.

  * * *

  Rio settled back in the carriage across from Danakho, deeply troubled. When he’d met his charge after breakfast that morning, Danakho had been alert and anxious, but by the time they’d boarded the carriage, he’d calmed down considerably. In fact, he was so calm, he’d fallen asleep.

  One thing was certain — whatever sleeping draught Danakho had taken last night wouldn’t be affecting him this way now. Especially given his agitation when Rio had come on duty over the breakfast hour.

  Was he taking something else besides the sleeping draught? Illicit drugs, perhaps? A search of Danakho’s rooms might be in order.

  As the carriage started off, Rio glanced out the window and caught a glimpse of a familiar face. Coryn was just leaving the Wild Rose, the upscale brothel the Khalshir Guild used as their base of operations here in Jakhar.

  What was Coryn doing at the Wild Rose?

  He wasn’t there for the sex, that much was certain. Rio had known Coryn since childhood, had trained at the Khalshir compound with him for three years, and had worked with him for months at a time on different assignments in the years that followed. Coryn simply didn’t seek out sex unless it was part of the role he’d been assigned for a job. Given the type of assignment Coryn usually drew, Rio figured he got his fill while he was working. At twenty-five, Coryn could still easily pass for a teenager. His waif-like appearance and the air of innocent vulnerability he could wrap around himself like a cloak made him an excellent choice when a seduction was called for.

  On the streets of Vhalion, Coryn’s pretty face was the only reason he hadn’t starved to death. He’d had the serving girls at half a dozen taverns eating out of his hand. Or, rather, he ate out of their hands. Hell, Coryn hadn’t e
ven had to beg like the other kids did; he just had to show up with those big, innocent eyes and a bruise marring the pale skin of his cheek, and they’d be handing out day-old bread and even scraps of meat from the kitchens.

  No, Coryn wasn’t there for the sex.

  He was there to report to someone.

  About Rio?

  Across the carriage, Danakho moaned, and Rio looked up sharply to see the young man clutching at his head as if in pain. “Danakho? Are you all right?”

  Danakho jerked his head up and gave Rio a wild-eyed look. “I-I’m f-fine. Just a… a headache.” He attempted a smile, which looked more like a grimace.

  Rio nodded and kept a careful eye on him, filing away his observations for later consideration. They’d passed the city’s outlying farmlands and were driving through the forested hills where Lord Jherek’s estate was nestled before Danakho finally relaxed.

  “I feel a bit better now,” Danakho said. “The city always makes me anxious. All those people. And… well, knowing what happened to Haiden…” His sought Rio’s briefly before skittering away. “I’m glad you’re with me.”

  Rio gave himself a mental kick for not thinking of that himself. Of course Danakho would be anxious. It would be perfectly natural for him to fear his brother’s assailants might be after him, as well. Anxiety might explain Danakho’s agitation this morning, as well as his clumsiness and dizziness at the tailor’s.

  It was nearly lunch time when they arrived back at the estate. Danakho went straight to his suite to change into something more suitable for lunch, and while he was occupied in the dressing room, Rio conducted a cursory search of his bedroom. He found nothing suspicious beyond a bottle of sleeping draught, which he opened and sniffed to determine that it was indeed the sleeping aid its label proclaimed. A drop on his tongue confirmed it was a formula consisting chiefly of coldroot, and was quite strong.

  Strong enough to be affecting Danakho in the middle of the morning after he’d taken it?

  Perhaps if he’d taken enough… though he’d been wide awake and anxious when Rio had first encountered him after shift change. He’d have to keep his eyes open. And perhaps ask Coryn to do a more thorough search tonight, while Danakho slept.

  Afternoon lessons went smoothly enough, though Danakho didn’t seem nearly as enthused as he had the day before. He apologized to Mistress Orlina, blaming a sleepless night and the surprise journey into the city.

  By the time dinner — and shift change — arrived, he seemed to have woken up a bit, and even bade Rio a shy goodnight before going in to join his father for the evening meal.

  Coryn appeared only moments after Danakho had gone.

  “Did you eat?” Rio asked.

  “Ai, with the guardsmen. Wanted to talk to Hawk about the security improvements she’s been implementing over the last week or so. I heard about the surprise trip into town. How did that go?”

  “Not well. Danakho acted like he was drugged. Kept falling asleep in the carriage, and at one point, he was so dizzy, he could hardly stand. He said he’d taken a sleeping draught last night.”

  “Not that I saw.” Coryn’s eyes narrowed. “But if he did, depending on what it is and how much he took, it could still be affecting him today. Could just be exhaustion, too. He doesn’t sleep well. You want me to search his rooms for drugs?”

  “Ai, if you would. If I do it, he’ll know what I’m up to.”

  “I’ll get it done tonight, after he’s asleep.”

  Rio nodded, then blurted out, “Thought I saw you at the Wild Rose this morning.”

  “Ai. I was there about the same time you would have been at the tailor’s. Be careful, Rio.”

  Rio blinked. Coryn had switched to Kharran mid-sentence, a language few people north of the desert kingdom of Karrakh spoke. “What?”

  “After the stunt you pulled in Akhat, do you think you’re not being watched?”

  “By who?” Rio asked, also in Kharran.

  Coryn scowled. “Me, for one. Bajhan’s at the Wild Rose. He sent word for me to report to him there this morning.” He glanced about, then lowered his voice and said, “He asked about your performance. If you fuck up this assignment, they’ll retire you.”

  Rio went cold and grabbed Coryn’s arm. “Bajhan said that?”

  “He didn’t have to.” Coryn shook his hand off, but a worried frown puckered his brow. “I told him you were doing fine. I didn’t tell him you’ve been talking to our charge about yourself.” He gave Rio a meaningful look. “Master Danakho was asking questions this morning. Like whether or not I spoke Djhara, and if I came from the Westlands, too.”

  “I’m helping him with his lessons,” Rio explained. “Mistress Orlina’s teaching him Djhara, and her accent is terrible. I corrected her without thinking… and then she went to ask Lord Jherek if I could help. He approved it. Is that a problem?”

  “I don’t know.” Coryn cocked his head. “Is it?”

  “It’s not,” Rio assured him. “I understand my duty.”

  An uneasy silence stretched between them before Coryn said, “He’ll ask again. Don’t make me lie to him, Rio.” The mask of cold indifference Coryn usually wore slipped for a fraction of a second, and that vulnerable, frightened look took Rio back twelve years, to the day he and Coryn had become sworn brothers using a matched pair of stolen knives.

  He opened his left hand and held it up, showing Coryn the scar across his palm. “I won’t fuck it up. I promise.”

  Coryn swallowed and held up his right hand in response. A moment later he pressed his own scar against Rio’s. “Blood to blood, brother to brother,” Coryn murmured, still speaking Kharran.

  “Your enemies mine, and mine yours,” Rio finished.

  Red-brown fingers laced with pale ivory, palm pressing to palm. Ice-blue eyes searched Rio’s face, and after several breaths, Coryn pulled his hand free. The cold mask slipped back into place, and he nodded once. “Good night, Rio.”

  Chapter Four

  Dani listened carefully to Rio’s words, then repeated them slowly.

  “Good.” Rio gave him an approving smile. “Your pronunciation has improved a lot in just the last few days.”

  They were in Dani’s suite, waiting for Pendrin to return from lunch to help Dani get dressed for his first visit with Lady Eslian Finnia. The morning’s lessons were long over, but Rio had suggested practicing some common phrases in Djhara while they waited. Not that Dani was complaining. The language fascinated him almost as much as Rio’s voice did. He often found himself torn between impressing Rio with how quickly he learned, and deliberately stumbling over the words just to hear the sound of that voice when Rio corrected him.

  It would have been much easier to pay attention if Coryn had been the one helping him. Coryn was everything a proper bodyguard should be: respectful, unobtrusive, and easy to ignore. He didn’t speak unless spoken to, and his responses were always as short and succinct as possible.

  Rio was far more difficult to ignore, especially when he was speaking. He was a pleasure to look at, and Dani found himself constantly aware of the man in a way that both intrigued and irritated him. The mere sound of his rich, velvety voice sent warm shivers through Dani.

  He’d never found a woman half so attractive as he found Rio, but this afternoon, he was going to have to pretend he did. There would be a lot of pretending in his future. Pretending he had any interest in running his father’s business… pretending he loved the wife who’d been chosen for him…

  He was just thinking, rather glumly, that the rest of his life was going to be one long performance when Rio spoke again, clearly asking a question, but in Djhara.

  “Wha-what was that?” Dani closed his eyes, concentrating on the subtle tonal shifts which could completely change the meanings of the words, while Rio repeated the question slowly. After a few moments, he opened his eyes and grinned at his bodyguard. “You’re either asking me what my plans are for the afternoon, or whether I plan to take up gardening. Given the
context, I’ll assume you want to know my plans.”

  “Ai, sir, very good.” Rio gave him one of those easy grins, white teeth flashing brightly against his dark skin. “How would it change if I was asking about gardening?”

  Dani repeated the phrase back to Rio, making the appropriate adjustments.

  Rio arched an eyebrow and gave him a crooked grin. “The tone of that last word needs to rise more sharply, otherwise it’s enough to shift the meaning from gardening to… ah… fucking.” His dark eyes glinted with amusement.

  “Ha.” Dani flushed. “I’m afraid there won’t be any gardening or fucking this afternoon. I suppose you’ve already been briefed, but we’re off to the Finnia townhouse in an hour so I can begin courting Lady Eslian.”

  Before Rio could respond, the suite door opened and Pen came in. The valet looked a little out of breath, as if he’d been hurrying. “Sorry I’m late, sir. I had to run by my quarters. Shall we get you ready for your visit?”

  “You’re not that late, Pen, and anyway, I was only going to change my shirt. I don’t really need a whole new outfit to go courting, do I?”

  Pen looked him over and let out a disapproving sniff. “Your father paid a great deal of money to have some of your clothes altered just for this occasion, Master Dani. I expect he would be quite put out if you were to wear something that didn’t fit you properly.”

  “I suppose you’re right.” Dani sighed. “And I suppose he’ll notice, since he’ll be standing out there in the drive waiting to give me a whole list of last minute instructions.”

  “No doubt, sir.”

  Dani followed Pen into his dressing room. To his relief, Rio stayed out, stationing himself by the bedroom door, as had become his habit. The moment they were alone, Pen produced the bottle of anzaria and a small medicine cup. He poured a measure for Dani, but Dani shook his head. “No, half that,” he whispered. “Last time I was so dopey I nearly gave myself away.”

  “Sir, I really can’t recommend that. A lower dose is unlikely to lessen the side effects, but it will make you more vulnerable.”