Khalshir (Kingmakers Book 1)

by Jaye McKenna

  “Thank you,” Dani said, amazed Coryn had risked so much to help the man he loved escape with someone else. He hesitated for a moment, then added impulsively, “Come with us. If you’re wrong about your tattoo, you’ll be in as much trouble as Rio.”

  Coryn closed his eyes briefly. “Can’t.”

  Dani set a hand on Coryn’s arm. “But—”

  “I need to go.” He shook Dani’s hand off. “I have to make it back to the city before Bajhan does. Once he’s reported to the Guild Master, he’ll head back there. If I’m not there waiting for him like I’m supposed to be…”

  Mutely, Dani nodded. He hadn’t thought much further ahead than Rio’s rescue, but now he realized this was just the beginning. He and Rio still had to get across the mountains, and until Rio woke up, Dani would be responsible for their safety. “Your Guild… will they follow us across the mountains?”

  “No,” Coryn said, shaking his head. “If you can get into the Tovashi Domains, you should be safe from the Guild. Our operatives have a habit of disappearing there. You’ll be safe enough, but Rio needs to be damn careful.”

  “Are you sure you can’t come with us?”

  “I’ll be more help to you if I stick with Bajhan. If he figures out you’re making for the mountains, he’ll do everything he can to stop you. I’ll do what I can to slow him down, but if I’m right about the tattoos, the Guild Master will already be aware that something’s happened to Rio’s. It might not just be Bajhan following you.”

  Dani swallowed hard. “What will they do if they catch us?”

  “There’s a contract out on you.” Coryn’s eyes glinted coldly in the moonlight. “They’ll kill you and retire him.”

  “Retire? What is—”

  “They’ll make him drink poison.” Coryn sounded impatient now. “It’ll take him three days to die, and he won’t stop screaming until it’s over.”

  “Gods…”

  “So you need to get on the road as soon as he’s fit to ride. The drug will wear off by morning. Get him to drink plenty, and try to get some food into him, even if he doesn’t want it.” Coryn turned to go, took two steps, then turned back and added, “Watch over him for me, Danakho.”

  “I will. I promise. Is… is there anything you want me to tell him?” But Coryn had already melted into the darkness and disappeared. Dani stared into the night, straining his ears. He heard nothing but the quiet sounds of the horses and the leaves rustling in the breeze.

  “Thank you,” he whispered. “May Fiora watch over you.”

  * * *

  Rio woke to the thin, grey light of dawn filtering down through gently fluttering leaves and burning pain above his right shoulder blade. The sky was overcast, the air cool and damp, and it smelled like rain. His body ached, and his mind was struggling to free itself from the drug fog. He had hazy memories of being thrown into the back of a wagon, wrists and ankles bound, but now he was lying on the ground, free of his bonds, a blanket covering him.

  Bajhan would never be so lax.

  Unless…

  Had his uncle had a change of heart?

  Rio lay completely still, listening for the crackle of a campfire or the rustle of clothing. Only the soft sound of someone breathing next to him was out of place among the noises of the forest waking up.

  It didn’t sound like Bajhan or Coryn.

  He turned his head slowly, heart leaping as he focused on Dani slumped against a moss-covered stone wall beside him, fast asleep.

  Dani… With a much lighter heart, Rio nudged Dani gently. “Bajhan told me you were dead.” The words slurred, and Rio realized he was more drugged than he’d thought.

  Dani’s golden-brown eyes fluttered open. “Rio…” He smiled, and then he was in Rio’s arms, hugging him fiercely. “I was so afraid. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.” Rio flinched and yelped as the burning pain on his back flared white hot. Dani’s eyes widened and he drew back. “Sorry. I forgot about the tattoo.”

  “Tattoo… what happened? Hurts like hell.”

  “Coryn burned it off.”

  “Coryn did? I don’t… why?”

  “He thinks your Guild Master can use the tattoos to track you. She might even be able to use it to spy on you.”

  A wave of nausea crashed through Rio. That would explain how Bajhan had found them so easily. He stared at Dani, still not certain he’d heard right. “Coryn helped you?”

  “Ai. When I woke up, I was locked in my bedroom. Coryn got me out.”

  Rio’s head spun as he struggled to make sense of it. “But… but Coryn’s the one who betrayed us in the first place. He told Bajhan—”

  “He didn’t!” Dani shook his head emphatically. “He’s the one who saved us. And risked his own life to do it. If your Guild Master finds out… he said he didn’t think his tattoo worked right, but if he’s wrong about that—”

  “Then he’s in as much trouble as I am,” Rio said grimly.

  “He also said we need to move on as soon as you can ride.”

  “Ai, he’s right about that. Where are we?”

  “South of the city. I’m not sure how far. We were riding for an hour, maybe longer. Coryn said Bajhan wouldn’t wake until this morning, and that he’d still have to report to the Guild Master before he chases after you. He won’t know where we went, and my father will think I’ve headed northeast, to Blue River Pass. What with the fire, he won’t have enough men to conduct a proper search.”

  “Fire?” Rio’s heart stuttered in his chest. “What fire?”

  “Coryn set fire to one of my father’s warehouses. Father sent half the guardsmen at the estate into town to guard the property from looters, and as soon as they left, Coryn climbed up to my window and set me free.” As Dani’s story unfolded, Rio listened in silence, hope building.

  “Coryn’s always been a good planner,” Rio said when Dani had finished. “The fire was a stroke of genius, but while it might spread your father’s men too thin for an effective search, it won’t stop Bajhan.” He squeezed his eyes shut, remembering the harsh lines of his uncle’s face when he’d told Rio what his fate would be. Thinking of it was like a knife twisting in his heart. “I thought he cared about me, but… he would have taken me back there, let them kill me.” He had to force the words past the growing lump in his throat.

  Dani put a hand on his arm. “I’m sorry,” he said in a tentative whisper. “I… I know how that feels.”

  Rio dashed the tears from his eyes and gave Dani a shaky smile. “Come on, then. It sounds like Coryn’s gone to a lot of trouble to give us the chance to escape. Let’s make sure his effort’s not wasted.”

  Dani got to his feet and stretched. “He left us some gear. And horses.”

  Rio’s mood brightened significantly upon hearing that. With horses, their chances looked a lot better. “Let’s have a look. Once I know what resources we have, I’ll have a better idea of what we can do.”

  Dani showed him the contents of the pack Coryn had given him, then led him around to the other side of the wall, where the horses were tethered. Rio smiled at the sight of his own weapons, and his smile widened as he dug through the saddle bags set on the ground nearby. For being in a hurry, Coryn had done a damn thorough job. There was a pouch of silver, trail rations, blackseed extract, and burn salve. He’d even managed to find a vial of anzaria and some of the stimulant for Dani. Almost as if he was determined to make certain Rio would survive.

  Even at the cost of his own life?

  Rio had no idea how Coryn planned to convince Bajhan he hadn’t played a role in their escape. A cold shiver went through him. Was Coryn planning to sacrifice himself to save them?

  The thought made Rio feel uncomfortable, unworthy, especially in light of his recent realization that Coryn had deeper feelings for him than Rio had ever suspected. He shoved it aside to be examined later, and turned to face Dani, who was hovering close by. “Pack up your things. We should be on our way. If your father thinks you’re heading
for Blue River Pass, we’ll go east. We can cross into Cathan and take Wytch Storm Pass. It’s a rougher road, but it will probably be safer. Your father has no reason to think you’d go that way, especially if he thinks you’re alone.”

  “Coryn said I needed to help you keep that burn clean. We should do that first.”

  “Ai, good idea.” He hauled off his shirt and let Dani tend to the burn. The salve Coryn had left them was cool, sweet relief. It didn’t take away all the pain, but it did take the edge off.

  Once Dani had dressed the burn to his satisfaction, he said hesitantly, “Do you think you’ll be able to ride?”

  “I still feel a little hazy and sleepy from the drugs, but we don’t have much choice.” Rio gave him a grim smile. “If Coryn’s right about the tattoos, we need to move fast. If the Guild Master sensed him destroying mine, she could have men here by nightfall.” Not knowing where they were relative to the mythe-gate that had brought him to Tallin, he wasn’t at all certain of that, but it made sense to assume the worst and plan accordingly.

  “Coryn said you should drink plenty and eat something, too,” Dani said as he rummaged in the saddlebags. “It looks like he left us a skin of blackseed tea. It’s cold now, but it might help.” He handed the skin to Rio.

  Blackseed tea certainly would help with the pain, though it would also dull his mind and slow his reflexes, making it difficult for him to protect Dani. He handed it back, unopened. He wouldn’t use it until he was certain they were safe.

  Assuming they were ever safe again.

  Chapter Ten

  Dani scooped up a fingerful of burn salve and smeared it gently over the spot where Rio’s tattoo had been. There would be a scar marring the otherwise perfect expanse of red-brown skin, but without a healer, there was nothing to be done.

  The burn was a worry, since Dani couldn’t decide if it looked better or worse. To his untrained eye, it simply looked awful. Since Rio couldn’t see it, he had to go by how it felt and Dani’s descriptions to determine whether things were improving. Though Rio said little, the pain still kept them both awake at night, Rio hurting, and Dani enduring what leaked through his fragile protections. During those endless hours of darkness, Dani longed for the peace anzaria would bring him. He dared not give in to that longing; Rio was doing his best to stay alert and keep them safe, and Dani wasn’t going to make it even harder for him by drugging himself into a stupor.

  A cool breeze snaked through the trees, ruffling Dani’s still-damp hair. For two days, it had rained softly but steadily. Last night, the soaking drizzle had mercifully ended, and this morning, the sun was shining.

  “We’re running out of salve,” Dani said as he finished applying it to the burn.

  Rio scooted around to face him. “There’s a village on the Cathan side of Wytch Storm Pass. Greenhill, I think it’s called. We can buy more salve there.”

  “How long will that be?” Dani asked, more to make conversation than anything. In his constant state of exhaustion, one day bled seamlessly into the next. He couldn’t recall exactly how many days it was since Coryn helped him escape through his bedroom window like some damsel in a fairy story. Four? Six? It felt like forever.

  They’d crossed into Cathan two nights ago, under cover of darkness and forest so dense, Rio had been able to lead them past the border patrols without incident. Leaving Tallin had lightened Dani’s heart, but only a little. He might be out of his father’s reach here, but it was only the first step of a long journey, and Bajhan still pursued them. They still had to reach the pass and cross it, and even that was no guarantee of safety. Once they were in Altan, they would have to travel north to Tirion, the capital city. Only when they’d reached the palace would Dani truly feel safe.

  “The pass is a few days off, yet. Why? Are you tiring of my company already?”

  Dani managed a wan smile. “No, but I’d very much like to find a proper bed. I’m tired of sleeping on the wet ground, being poked by twigs, drenched by rain, and crawled on by insects.” He’d always thought traveling and living rough would be a grand, romantic adventure, and had often daydreamed of packing up the bare minimum of gear and setting off on his own to see the world.

  The reality was proving far more uncomfortable and inconvenient than any of his imaginings had been. Rio wouldn’t take the time to hunt and refused to risk a fire, even when it wasn’t too wet for one, so they ate the trail rations Coryn had packed for them and huddled close to keep warm.

  Dani turned his face to the sun, mood lifting a little as he soaked in its heat. “I don’t suppose we can stay here for a bit to let our clothes dry?”

  “I’m sorry, Dani, but we can’t spare the time. We need to use every hour of daylight we have to our best advantage. Bajhan is out there somewhere.”

  “You don’t know that for certain. We’ve seen no sign of anyone following us.”

  “There won’t be any sign. Not that you can see, anyway. He’s too damn good for that.”

  “Too good for you?”

  Rio’s shoulders tensed.

  “Sorry,” Dani said quickly. “I didn’t mean it like that. I just… I’m worried. Nobody’s at their best when they’re exhausted. I know you’ve not been sleeping well. Maybe… maybe I could take watch tonight and you could take some of that blackseed extract Coryn left us.”

  “Dani—”

  “You need a proper night’s sleep, Rio. One where you’re not awake half the night because you’re hurting. I won’t fall asleep, I promise.”

  Rio was silent for a long time before finally nodding. “All right,” he said reluctantly. “You can watch tonight. But only after I’ve scouted our back trail and made certain we’re not being followed. And I’m not taking anything that’s going to dull my reflexes.”

  Dani nodded, and counted it a small victory. “Turn around and let me put a fresh dressing on this, then. I suppose we need to get back on the road as quickly as we can.”

  When Dani had finished wrapping his shoulder, Rio rose. Before he put his shirt back on, he pulled Dani into his arms and kissed him soundly. When he pulled away, he lifted a hand to cup Dani’s cheek and stared into his eyes. “Be advised, Danakho Jherek,” he said in a low, husky voice, “the only reason I fear to sleep is because I fear what might happen to you if I’m not watching over you every moment.” The sound of that rich, honey-and-smoke voice sent little shivers of heat darting straight to Dani’s groin, and he hoped with all his heart there would be safety and a large bed at the end of their journey.

  * * *

  Dani stared down at the muddy track in disbelief. “You call this a road? You’d never get a wagon through here.” It was now late afternoon, and the bright sunshine of the morning had been blocked once more by dark clouds. Dani had already felt a raindrop or two, and the prospect of slogging along through the mud for a few more hours with only a cold, wet camp to look forward to was almost more than he could bear. His body ached, and he was so tired of being wet. Rio didn’t look any happier; he was a good actor, to be sure, but in the unguarded moments when his mask slipped, his pain and exhaustion were both obvious.

  “This road isn’t meant for wagons,” Rio explained. “Nobody would take a wagon through Wytch Storm Pass, or even a horse. It’s too steep, too treacherous. Especially if the weather turns bad.”

  “So we have to cross the mountains on foot?” Dani’s voice rose at least an octave as his disbelief morphed into horror.

  “I’m planning to barter the horses for supplies and a mountain pony in Greenhill. How did you think we were going to get across the mountains?”

  “I… I don’t know.” Dani cringed at having his ignorance on display yet again. Rio had been incredibly patient with him thus far, but must think him dreadfully soft and spoiled. “I suppose I thought there’d be a carriage.” He swallowed hard and added, “I’ve never climbed a mountain before.”

  Instead of laughing or rolling his eyes, Rio gave him a reassuring smile. “It won’t be so bad. We’ll t
ake it slow.” He scanned the treetops, then pointed east and a little south. “See that?”

  Dani followed Rio’s gaze and saw a broken stone wall jutting up above the treetops on a nearby rise. “Is that another ruin?”

  “Ai, looks like it might have been part of a watchtower.”

  “Is it too early to make camp?”

  Rio gave him a long look before glancing up at the sky. “It’s a little early, but it looks like it’s going to rain again. If there’s enough of the tower still standing, we might sleep dry tonight.”

  “What about a fire?” Dani tried not to sound too eager, but the prospect of hot food and dry clothing had his spirits soaring. “Can we have a fire?”

  “I don’t know. I’ll have to have a look at the place first.” Rio led the way across the road, heading straight for the ruin.

  The top of the hill was bare but for the remains of the watchtower, one of the many military facilities abandoned after the Wytch Wars had devastated the land hundreds of years ago. Legend had the enemy pouring over the mountain passes in droves: wytches and dragons and worse. There was likely a grain of truth in those old tales, but much had been lost in the dark years following the wars.

  Up close, the tower was in bad shape. Only portions of the exterior walls still stood, and nothing remained of the interior. While the walls might offer some protection from the wind, it was all open to the sky.

  “We’d be drier under a fir tree,” Rio said as he surveyed the place.