by Gail Dayton
"Then you have truly been blessed by the One.” Bekaara's smile was wistful. Sad.
"The One's blessings be on you as well, Bekaara cousin.” Kallista led the way outside to their escort.
Obed moved his horse forward as they rode through the outer gate, interposing himself between Kallista and the noisy crowds in the street. Torchay did the same on her other side.
Kallista frowned. “It bothers me, the naitani's seclusion. But I don't know why."
"I think I might,” Joh said from behind them.
Kallista twisted in the saddle to see him.
He shook his head, gesturing at the increasingly rowdy crowds around them. “Wait till we get back to the embassy."
"At least we know now why the populace doesn't like us.” Fox set his horse to dancing, forcing the people crowding too close to back away for fear of the flying hooves.
"It's not our fault their people have taken slaves,” Aisse protested.
"But our people have the jobs they need,” Fox said.
"We'll take care of it.” Kallista's smile was grim with determination. “We'll give the locals all the jobs they want."
"Aye.” Torchay said nothing more.
* * * *
Kallista noticed the man loitering at the embassy gate with the hood of his overrobe pulled up against the sun, but she didn't pay him much attention. Ragged citizens roamed everywhere in Mestada and her escort guarded against trouble. Then he shoved back his hood to reveal gold-streaked hair no Daryathi ever claimed.
At the same time, Leyja snarled. “You."
"Me,” he said. “I brought you something."
"What you stole.” Leyja rode at him, as if intending to ride him down.
"Leyja!” Kallista had never seen the other woman so vindictive before.
"And more,” the thief called, his gaze on Kallista. “News."
Leyja had stopped, but she wasn't backing up.
"Let him in,” Kallista called to the guard captain. “I want to speak with him personally."
In the bustle of the outer courtyard, once again on foot, Kallista caught Leyja's queue and pulled her down so she could whisper in her ear. “Cool your temper, Sergeant, or I'll cool it for you. We need this man."
"He is a thief,” Leyja growled.
"But not a liar. Let it go.” Kallista pulled harder on the sandy red braid, bending the taller woman into an almost painful arc. “I mean it, Leyley.” Now Kallista used the pet name Aisse had given Leyja, rather than her rank. “Leave him be. Let it go.” Her lips brushed Leyja's ear as she spoke. When she finished, Kallista bit down hard on the earlobe.
Leyja shuddered. “Yes. All right."
Kallista released her. “All right, what?"
"My Reinine.” Leyja bowed low.
"What?” Kallista raised an eyebrow and Leyja flushed, smiled shyly.
"Kallista,” she said.
"Better have Aisse look at that.” Kallista flicked a finger at Leyja's ear. “We'll be in the parlor with your thief. Don't be long."
As Leyja hurried off, Kallista sighed. It bothered her sometimes, the things Leyja liked, the things she responded to. But she was a good woman with a generous heart who wanted only to give. In some ways, she was too gentle to be a bodyguard, but in other ways—she would die before she would let any harm come to those she loved. Kallista couldn't help loving her back.
The guard captain held the thief by the entrance to the building. Not actually holding on, but with him, standing guard.
"Captain.” Kallista acknowledged the woman's salute with one of her own. “Tell me your name.” The captain had done excellent service both on the journey and here in Mestada. She deserved to be recognized for it.
"Ronda Kargyll, my Reinine.” The captain swept into a low bow while keeping an eye on her charge.
"Viyelle, make a note. Make sure Captain Kargyll is on the promotions list."
"Of course, my Reinine.” Viyelle inclined her head, smiling at the captain's second stammering bow of thanks.
"Pass the word, Captain,” Kallista went on, her attention shifting to Leyja's thief. “This man is to be admitted to the embassy whenever he presents himself. At any hour. Send word to Torchay Reinas that he is here, understood?"
"Yes, my Reinine.” The captain bowed once more and saluted.
"They tell me you are Padrey.” Kallista studied him, trying to see past the scruffy surface to the man beneath.
He was Kallista's exact height, for she could look straight on into his eyes—grayed blue, like mist laid over the sky. He was thin, his straight blond-over-brown hair in need of cutting. His angular face was set in an expression mixed from equal parts defiance and reluctant hope.
"Padrey Emtal, my Reinine. This is an honor.” He bowed, an unpracticed, awkward version of the captain's low bow. As he straightened, he pushed back his overrobe, reaching for something hidden beneath.
The point of Torchay's right-hand sword came to rest on his chest, stopping his action. Padrey went still, then spread his hands slowly away from his body.
"No harm meant,” the young thief said. “Just fetching out the package. I'm not armed."
Torchay used his blade to move the overrobe aside. No weapons were visible. He patted pockets, and pulled out a rag-wrapped bundle which he handed to Kallista before finishing his check. “Truth.” Torchay put away his sword. “He's no’ armed."
"Shall we go in then, out of this punishing sun?” Kallista spread her arms, urged everyone through the doors.
"It's not as hot as it was,” Padrey said, attempting casual conversation. “But the sun's still a bastard."
Kallista had to smile. He was a thief and a runaway slave, after all. Allowances could be made for rough edges. “So it is."
He cleared his throat. “I'm glad to see you're better than the last time we—erm—met..."
"Thank you.” How could he amuse her so? “Though we didn't exactly meet, did we? I am glad to be better."
An embassy guard opened the door to the parlor and Kallista paused, looking for someone she could send on an errand. Finally she addressed the guard. “Go fetch Keldrey Reinas. And tell Sidris to go ahead and give the children their lunch. We won't have time for them until later. One of these will take your post till you return with the Reinas.” She gestured at her duty bodyguards. Thankfully, Torchay would let her leave them at doors on occasion, rather than insisting they stay beside her. “And Gweric. We need Gweric Naitan, if he's in the embassy."
Inside the parlor, Kallista tossed the still-wrapped package to Leyja who was waiting there with Aisse. The thief was Adaran, but he lived in Mestada. He knew much they didn't, and Gweric vouched for him. She would let him stay for now.
She turned to Joh. “All right. We're at the embassy. What's so bad about the Daryathi shutting their naitani up in the temple? Other than their magic is useless there."
"Think about it,” he said.
Leyja made a small sound when she pulled Rozite's necklace with its fat thumb-sized ruby from the bundle.
"See?” Padrey muttered. “Told you I'd bring it back."
Kallista silenced Leyja's attempted retort with a glare, then turned it on Padrey. “You are here on sufferance, because I hope you have something to contribute. If I am disappointed..."
Padrey cleared his throat and bowed, and Kallista turned back to Joh.
"What exactly am I supposed to be thinking about?"
"Magic,” Joh said. “What is magic?” He walked around the sofa to the center of the room.
"A gift of the One.” Kallista sat, stretched her arms along the back of the sofa, wondering where he was going with this.
"Exactly. Do you know of any naitani who have actually been possessed by demons?"
"Merinda,” Obed said. “She refused the mark, but she was naitan and the demon took her."
"But it drove her mad.” Kallista began to see Joh's direction.
"What about that wind naitan?” Viyelle said. “The Barb who fle
w that boat the day I was marked. Wasn't she a naitan?"
"Her gift was small,” Joh said. “Barely registered, according to records. Perhaps that made it possible."
"We already know that demons and magic don't mix. Why else did the old Rulers eliminate all the naitani in Tibre?” Fox leaned on the back of the couch where Kallista sat. “Are you saying that demons have been locking up the naitani here, so they can have free rein in the rest of Daryath?"
"I don't know.” Joh shook his head. “Gweric said the demons felt old. What if they escaped the final battle in the Empty Lands and ran here to hide? They'd have had thousands of years to work their subtle evil. Locking up their naitani has certainly caused evil to happen."
"Have you changed your mind?” Fox asked. “About visiting the temple?"
Kallista shook her head. “Not unless we have to. Perhaps the One will sort things out inside the temple for us. But my main worry is that we are only eight.” She frowned.
"Without our ninth, I don't know that we'll have enough magic to deal with the kind of demons Gweric warned us about. I don't want to stumble over a demon somewhere we never expected it to be, but we might. We need time.” She had to pause and clear her throat of sudden anguish. “We need our ninth godmarked."
Keldrey flushed under Kallista's pleading gaze. He was already their ninth ilias. All the iliasti who had married in unmarked were marked now—save for Merinda, and she'd refused. Surely the only reason Keldrey hadn't been marked before now was that they hadn't needed him. They had had their nine. And they hadn't been facing demons.
"I'm willing,” Keldrey said. “I am. But—” He shrugged helplessly.
"I know.” Kallista huffed a sigh. “The One moves as the One wills. And She doesn't tell us beforehand where She's going."
Kallista sat up straight and looked back at Padrey where he was standing behind her, hands locked behind his neck. “Come around here where I can see you and tell us your news."
Carefully, eyes rolling toward Torchay, Padrey lowered his hands and bowed. Then he moved to the center of the room.
"When I left here yesterday—” He blushed and cleared his throat. “It looked as if you lot were busy and I wasn't needed, so I thought I'd be off to collect the ... package. On the way, there I was, passing Habadra House, and I thought I'd just nip round and take a peek at your boy, see he was sleeping okay."
"Was he?” Kallista had received full reports from Keldrey and Fox, but she craved every driblet of information she could get about Sky. She longed to hold him in her own arms.
"Dunno. Never found him. I heard voices and thought I'd see who.” He paused, looking pleased with himself. “It was the new Habadra—ain't heard what her name is—and Shakiri Shathina."
Kallista wasn't shocked. She wasn't even very surprised. She'd have expected Shathina to be the “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” type. “And what was it Habadra Chani and Shakiri Shathina were discussing?"
"Your boy. The Shakiri wanted the Habadra to give him to you, to call off this tournament trial. Habadra wouldn't do it, not unless Shakiri replaced the boy with another slave. She—Habadra, that is—wants a proven magic user for the boy. Habadra says with his mother a healer and his father one of your Godmarked, the boy's sure to be a powerful naitan. Guaranteed.
"Shakiri says it's no guarantee. She offers another boy, pure Adaran, a year or two older. Habadra refuses. They snarl at each other a bit longer. Meeting ends."
Kallista threw herself to her feet, startling Padrey into stumbling back a few paces, bumping into Joh behind him. She couldn't hold still with all the emotions storming inside her. Had her expansive use of magic at Habadra House made Chani so determined to keep Sky? Had she caused this? Could she have done things any other way?
"It's done now,” Torchay said. “You can only deal with what is, no’ what if."
"Right.” Kallista sighed. “Right. So, what's next?” She looked at her motley army of demon hunters. “I think we need to attack on both fronts—slaves and demons. Gweric and Padrey, you're our spies. Gweric, concentrate on the temple area for now, see what you can ... see. We have to find those demons."
The Tibran naitan saluted, then shaded his empty eyes with his hand and pretended to look around.
"Padrey—” She turned to the young thief, who drew himself up to solemn attention. “I need to know where all the Adaran slaves are, and how many. If we're going to get them all out—and I won't leave a single one behind—I need a good count. That's your job. Find them for me, Padrey. Every last one."
She held his gaze a long moment, until his eyes began to shine and he almost seemed to transform into a different person than the grubby thief who'd been standing before them.
Padrey bowed, awkwardly. “As you will it, so shall I do.” His voice quivered with the passion behind his words. Abruptly, he dropped to one knee. “I pledge to Adara and to you, my Reinine, in all the names of the One, to serve wherever I am needed, until breath leaves my body."
Kallista blinked, stunned. How did this young man, this lost son of Adara, come to know the ancient oath of the Tayo Dai? Once a company of the most loyal, the most talented in all Adara, the Tayo Dai had faded into the bodyguard corps. Still valuable, but nowhere near the level of devotion, commitment and skill of the legendary Tayo Dai. The stories were still told, the old oath a part of them. He'd obviously heard them.
Padrey remained kneeling, his gaze fastened on Kallista, filled with a hope and expectation that faded bit by bit every moment she stood there without responding. She couldn't take that hope away from him.
But she didn't remember how the rest of the ceremony was supposed to go. Improvising, she stepped forward and rested the palm of her hand on his upturned forehead. She called magic and wrestled it into a tiny blessing. “Adara thanks you for this generous gift of service, and gratefully accepts. The blessing of the One be on you.” And she let it settle out over him.
A rustle of movement had her looking around to see everyone else in the room on their knees. Torchay led out, reciting the oath Padrey had just spoken. Tears choked off her voice, dammit. Of all the times to be unable to speak.
Kallista grabbed Joh, on one knee just behind her new Tayo Dai, and pulled him to his feet, into a hug. She had to hold him for a long moment before she could find her voice again. “You are my ilian. We have already sworn vows of devotion and service to each other. I do not need more."
She looked past Joh, past Fox, to Gweric. “Your vow, I will take.” She strode to him, laid her hand and the blessing of the One over his eyes.
"And I'll take that of anyone else—who is not Reinas—who wants to give it. Later.” Kallista motioned everyone to their feet. “Get up, get up. We have work to do. Padrey, Gweric, off you go. Stay out of trouble. You can't serve if you're locked up somewhere, or worse."
The two young men bowed and strode out together, obviously bursting to talk about what had just happened.
She blew out a breath. “Now. Torchay, somebody's going to have to be in charge of the new Tayo Dai. You just got the job. Find out what the insignia used to be—"
"A naked sword crossing a long-stemmed red rose,” Torchay said. “I'll have badges made."
Kallista raised an eyebrow. “Seems I picked the right person for the job. Know all the old stories, do you?"
"Why do you think I became a bodyguard? I've been your Tayo Dai from the first."
"Why here?” Kallista didn't understand it. “Why now? It's been hundreds of years since—"
"Because now we have a Reinine worthy of the oath, and dangerous times that call for it.” Torchay paused. “You can't take a Tayo Dai oath from just anyone, no matter what you said."
"It's your job to make sure they understand exactly what they're swearing, that it's not just the latest fashion. I can test them too, with truthsaying magic, for sincerity. But if they mean it, truly mean it, then yes, I'll take them.” Kallista turned to Viyelle. “I assume the diplomatic staff hav
e been busy with the trade agreement that brought us here."
"Yes,” Viyelle acknowledged.
"That stops today.” Kallista looked at the small, four-sided clock on the low table in the room's center. “They should still be at lunch. Send word, quickly. Our people do not go back into the meeting room. Recall them now. Until this situation—this ‘trial'—is concluded, we do not negotiate."
"Isn't that putting personal matters ahead of the nation's?” Joh asked.
"No. Because Sky is only the first slave we will free. After the trial—after, because I won't risk his safety—we will demand the immediate release of all Adaran slaves."
"Oh saints,” Keldrey muttered. “Did we bring enough troops to defend against the whole city? We are in the middle of their country, Kallista."
"We have a secret weapon, dearest Keldrey.” She waggled her ungloved hands at him. “But, when the Daryathi ask why we have suspended the formal talks, tell them...” What truth would deflect greatest trouble?
She sighed. “It's a bit late to use Stone's death as an excuse, if the talks have continued afterward."
"We objected,” Viyelle said. “But with you—away—"
"You didn't have the power to tell them no,” Kallista finished. “So, our excuse: I am outraged by the lack of respect for my Godmarked's death. Negotiations will continue when I am no longer distracted by this trial. How does that sound?"
"Like you are weak, indecisive and easily distracted.” Obed's voice was sour.
Kallista grinned at him. “Excellent. And when we prove them wrong, it will set them scrambling."
Obed shook his head, but he smiled. “Are we to the trial?"
She surveyed the others, but no one spoke. “We are."
Chapter Sixteen
Quickly, Obed told Kallista what the others already knew. “Now we have to select those who will serve as our champions."
"I fight,” Leyja said.
"No.” Kallista shook her head hard enough to send her queue flying.
"You can't hold back your best fighters out of fear we'll be hurt,” Torchay said.
"Are we her best fighters?” Keldrey asked. “We were losing steps six years ago, Leyja. And it's been six years. We're all older than we were."
