“It is possible. But the other variables are still a problem.”
She nodded. The massive doors to the dungeon opened and we heard footsteps approaching. Nadea’s guards were returning with others.
“I can try to dream of her tonight. I’ll ask her.”
“Even if there was a miracle, and you were able to speak with her across the afterlife, I am leaving tomorrow morning.”
“So you are just going to give up?” She snorted and shook her head. The footsteps grew closer. I recognized Fehalda’s scent. “That does not sound like you.”
“If she is alive, I have to see her. I will not give up.” A lump formed in my throat and I fought to keep it out of my stomach. I wondered what the child would look like, and the desire to meet her forced out the shadows of despair that my exile had recently created. “If you can’t get to me before I leave tomorrow, please document whatever you learn from your dreams. I will return.” The approaching guards were close enough to hear us, so I was careful to watch my words. Nadea nodded and her face cracked slightly with a smirk.
“You are done.” Fehalda walked in front of the group of fifteen guards.
“I am done when I say I am done, Auntie.” Nadea chuckled at the last word and Fehalda gritted her teeth.
“Then say you are done now so I don’t have to drag you out of here by the hair.”
I thought Nadea would continue to argue with Fehalda and the brief flicker of surprise that crested the white woman’s face made me believe that she had assumed the same.
“I will not speak to Jessmei. Perhaps we will see each other again one day.” She licked her lips and sighed. For a second her beautiful face was hard to read and I wondered if she really believed that I would return. I wondered if she wanted me to.
“I will always be grateful to have met you. Thank you for bringing me back to life.” I pulled her hand through the bar of my cell and kissed her wrist gently. The movement made her exhale sharply and she turned from me without another word.
Then she walked out of the dungeon without looking back.
A few of Fehalda’s guards followed Nadea out, but the remainder stayed with the white-haired woman. After the footsteps faded and the door to the dungeon closed she faced me and the fury on her face was plain.
“What the fuck did you do?” She almost spat through the cell doors.
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t be coy with me, O’Baarni. The wind? The noises? Are you planning something with the duchess?”
“I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“I will celebrate the moment you fade through the Radicle with Turnia.”
“I might actually miss you. Are you going to be escorting your sister on our journey to the Radicle?” The question seemed to catch the general off guard and she licked her lips carefully before answering.
“Perhaps. It has not been decided yet. What is also under deliberation is your visit with the princess. After hearing of your little trick with the duchess, my sister is unsure she should trust you with the future queen.”
“She agreed to let me see Jessmei.” I exhaled and tried to keep my arms from ripping the bars out of the cell walls.
“You said you would behave and cooperate.”
“Am I not? I don’t know what happened in the dungeon. Perhaps your sister should ask her daughter.” I pushed myself away from the bars and stepped back to my cot.
“I’ll return.” She waited a few moments for me to reply but I covered my eyes with the nook of my arm. I did not know what I would do if Telaxthe prevented me from seeing Jessmei. I had no leverage. A few impossibly foolish scenarios sprinted through my head as the footsteps of Fehalda and her soldiers echoed down the hallway and faded into silence. Then I was alone in the dim light of the dungeon torches and the silence of the bare, cold stone.
“Kaiyer?” Jessmei’s voice was timid. I must have fallen asleep, because I had not heard her walk into the dungeon. I spun out of the cot and struggled to embrace her through the bars of my cell.
“I was supposed to have an escort, but Nadea told me that they might not let me come, so she distracted them while I sneaked away. We probably only have a few minutes before they search down here.”
“I am so grateful I can see you once more. I told Nadea I was sorry and I want to apologize to you as well.” She was wearing a light-blue gown that reflected some of the torchlight in a hue that I doubted normal human eyes could see. Flowers and hummingbirds danced across the fabric and I guessed that Telaxthe’s private tailor had crafted the gown for Jessmei. Her face bore none of the ambivalence of Nadea’s. She was not bitter or angry with me, she was only sad.
“Why are you leaving? Telaxthe said you are returning to your own world. Is this not your world?” Her hair was bound down her back in a series of complicated braids tied off with snow-white pearls. Her cheeks were accented with red dye and the same shade was painted onto her full lips. For a moment I didn’t want to answer her, I only wanted to study her beautiful face so I would be able to remember everything about her.
“I have a daughter. I never knew her and the empress has agreed to tell me more if I will leave this world.”
“Oh. I see.” She pursed her lips and a faint hint of disappointment crossed her features. “This was with the woman in your memories?”
“Yes.”
“Wouldn’t your daughter be long dead by now? Perhaps I am speaking selfishly, but I don’t understand why you would leave us just for a shred of information about her.” Her words came out smoothly, but I sensed the undertone of bitterness and jealousy.
“There is a chance that she could still be alive. At least, Nadea has given me that hope.”
“How?” Her ice-blue eyes narrowed.
“I was kept in some sort of stasis in the Radicle that kept me alive through millennia. Nadea awoke me from it, and there is a chance I could do the same for my daughter.”
“Nadea just told you this?” She crossed her slender arms over her breasts.
“Yes.”
“But you made the decision to leave before you spoke with her?”
“Yes, but—”
“I love you, Kaiyer,” she interrupted me. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to spend every night in your arms and make beautiful children with you. But I also love my kingdom. I have a duty to protect my people from any threat and ensure prosperity for them. I am willing to sacrifice my happiness for my friends and family. Are you not willing to do the same?”
“Are you asking me to choose you over my daughter?” Jessmei’s eyes were cold and hard. What had happened to her in the last few months?
“No. You already made that choice before you had any hope she might live. I want you to understand how much I love you, how much you hurt me, and that I am giving you the chance to change your mind. Stay here. I will speak to the empress. She needs me, she will agree to my request. With you at my side, our kingdom will be strong. I will no longer fear vipers beneath my bed. I will give you more children so that you will forget about a daughter you never knew, a daughter who has long since passed away.”
Her voice was smooth and controlled. She had rehearsed this speech. The naïve princess I had known was gone, replaced by a powerful queen.
“This will put you in danger. Kannath’s sister is here to find out what happened to her brother. They will take me back to stand before their Council, so that I may be judged and punished. If I remain here, the clans will soon follow Turnia and the O’Baarni will punish you for harboring a Pretender.”
“I know that Turnia is in the castle. I can work this out with the empress. They have not yet spoken; the story can be spun to our advantage.” She paused and looked to her right down the dark hallway of the dungeon as if to make sure no one could overhear our conversation.
“We are alone,” I confirmed.
“I will tell Turnia that Fehalda killed Kannath, and that you are not a Pretender. The wrath of your
people will be brought down upon the Elvens. We will solve two problems at once: the empress will be wiped from this world, and Turnia will leave you alone. You could stay.” I was surprised at the ruthlessness of her plan and the ease with which she spoke of betraying Telaxthe.
“They are taking me tomorrow. How will you get Turnia alone before then? What if she does not believe you? If Telaxthe finds out, she will kill you.” I thought through the plan as I spoke and could not shake the overwhelming sense of dread at allowing the princess to take such a great risk.
Then I realized I was foolish to think it was up to me to let her do anything.
“If the first part of your plan succeeds and the O’Baarni remove the Elvens from your world, you may be exchanging one master for another. I suspect that humans are not treated much better than Elvens by the O’Baarni.”
“But the O’Baarni were once humans. Surely, they will treat us fairly?” I could tell that she was considering my words carefully.
“Has the empress treated you fairly?”
“Yes. Better than I expected. But I have something she needs.” Jessmei flashed white teeth against the torch light.
“What?”
“The magic of the ancient O’Baarni. Not your people. There was an even older race that, according to Telaxthe, knew powerful magic and could use the Radicle without any external power source. She said that I am one of their descendants and she has been working with me daily to help me master these powers.”
I remembered the tower that Malek investigated and the small stone that projected an image of a woman who spoke in a strange language only I had understood. The familiar pain started to grow at my temples and I took a deep breath to force more air into my blood.
“It has to do with the Radicle. She said there is one beneath the castle, but I have not seen it yet.” She closed her blue eyes and her soft smile disappeared. “I can feel an energy in the ground. She calls it ‘the World’ and it hums through my body. She said I will be ready to use it soon, as your people do, and then I will be able to control the Radicles as one controls a horse.”
I had dozens of other questions but I doubted Jessmei knew the answers. Her voice had assumed a trance-like quality.
“She wants me to close off the Radicles once her people have finished coming through.”
“I figured she would want to destroy them.” I nodded.
“But if I close them, she still has the option of using them in the future. So you can see why she needs me.” Jessmei smiled. “She does not know the location of all of the Radicles on this planet, but she said once I work with one, I will be able to find the others. I could convince her to let you stay and still give you the information you need about your daughter, if you prefer that plan to telling Turnia the truth of Kannath.”
“No, that could also be dangerous.” A door opened in the distant hallway and boot steps began to echo down the hard walls of the dungeon.
“I am capable of handling any danger.” The sounds of the approaching Elvens were loud enough for her to hear and she dropped her voice to a whisper. “Don’t try to protect me. I’ve presented two options that would allow us to be together. If you love me, you will choose one of them.”
“I don’t want to put you in danger.” I felt my stomach knot at the sound of the approaching Elvens.
“So that is your decision.” The pain was reflected plainly in her icy blue eyes. She stepped away from the bars of my cell just as the group of Elvens turned the corner to our hallway.
“I suspected you might be here.” Telaxthe’s voice rang through the hallway like a songbird’s gentle coo.
“I was speaking with Kaiyer.” Jessmei continued to stare into my eyes. The pain that was there before was replaced by a cold anger. I couldn’t bear to look at her anymore so I turned to the empress and gave a slight nod in greeting. She was wearing another elaborate robe of embroidered stars and flowers. Her bronze hair was bound up off of her neck with braids, roses, and ribbons. She was a delicate contrast to her white sister who wore the plain dark leather armor of her army, with no other decorations adorning her body.
“A queen should not be here alone.” Telaxthe’s voice was sweeter than honey and she placed a careful hand on Jessmei’s shoulder.
“I am not the queen yet.” Jessmei turned to the empress and smiled cheerfully. “Kaiyer and I have concluded our conversation. Will you give me an escort back to my suite?”
“Yes, of course.” If Telaxthe was surprised by Jessmei’s response, she did not let it show. She nodded to Fehalda.
“I will take you back to your rooms,” the general said to Jessmei.
The princess looked at me again and I felt the pain in my chest flow up to my throat and try to strangle me. I would never be able to live with myself if Jessmei was killed trying to protect me. Nadea’s plan was less risky, as long as she could get me the information before I departed tomorrow. Even if she could not and I was forced through the Radicle to face the Council, there was a chance I could come back. This would not endanger Jessmei as long as she continued to cooperate with the empress.
“Wait!” I choked out past the lump in my throat. My mind spun out of control for a second. If Jessmei closed the Radicles after I left, I could never return.
“Yes?” Jess raised a blonde eyebrow and I saw hope in her eyes.
“I would like to see our glade again someday. It was the only place on this planet where I found true peace. I knew you would be safe there, even if I was not with you.” I stared into the princess’s eyes and saw them soften briefly. I hoped she would understand that I did not want her to put herself in danger, and that I meant to return. She narrowed her eyes viciously and I felt a chill spin down my spine as her pale blue eyes suddenly looked as ruthless and cold as Iolarathe’s.
“But I was not safe there, Kaiyer. You cannot protect me.” She turned and started to walk away.
“Wait!” My plea did not stop her. Fehalda glanced back at me over her shoulder, but I could not read the expression on her alien face. I let out a careful breath and tried to gather my wits into some sort of plan. There was nothing I could say that would change the princess’s mind. My only option would be to return as quickly as possible and hope that I made it before Jessmei closed the Radicles.
“Leave us.” The empress nodded to her guards and they turned to accompany Fehalda and the rest of the Elvens escorting Jessmei. Telaxthe waited until the sounds of their footsteps were muffled by the thick door that marked the passage of Jessmei out of the dungeon and out of my life.
“What did you discuss with the princess?”
“My trip with Turnia. She was not pleased that I was leaving and asked me to find another way to stay.”
“Oh?” The empress tilted her head and her hair fell away from her ear the way Nadea’s often did.
“You need not worry. She is angry because I refused her. I want you to tell me of my daughter, I will honor our agreement.” I forced a smile to my lips and hoped that the empress did not suspect that Jessmei had considered betraying her.
“Let us speak of Kannath now. I want to ensure that we both have the same story.” The smile faded from her face while she spoke and I wondered again if she had any other powers of manipulation besides her intoxicating scent.
“I have told Turnia that you were already on this world when we arrived in Nia. You didn’t remember anything of your past and you claimed to be Kaiyer. You fought with some of my soldiers and eventually surrendered after we took the capital. Then Kannath arrived and said he would take you to the O’Baarni Council. I agreed and you left with him.”
“This is very close to the truth,” I interrupted her.
“Exactly. Then there is less chance of you making a mistake. May I continue, or do you have any other obvious commentary?”
“No. Please resume.” I matched her sarcastic tone and gave a slight bow between the bars of the cell.
“You left with Kannath and his warriors. They did not bel
ieve you were dangerous, but I knew better and asked my sister and Vernine to follow them to ensure that you left this world. I also wanted to know the location of the Radicle Kannath used. You attacked Kannath the first night and murdered him and his warriors. Vernine and Fehalda attempted to stop you, but you overpowered and almost killed them before Fehalda told you that I would retaliate against your friends here if you did not return with them peacefully. My plan was to then contact the O’Baarni Council to send a proper escort to retrieve you.”
“She will not believe that I killed Kannath and his warriors. Wasn’t he supposed to be an accomplished fighter?” In a way, I was responsible for Kannath’s death. Though the empress had given the order, it was in order to get more information from me about her daughter.
“Both you and I will confirm the story. She has nothing else to believe.”
"She'll ask why Fehalda and Vernine did not tell her the truth when we met by the river. Turnia brought enough warriors for a proper escort."
“She may. I will tell her that Fehalda decided to keep your identity hidden because she knew Turnia would immediately attempt to take you back, and you might escape.” Telaxthe’s answer came so quickly I knew she had already considered all of the different directions her story might lead Turnia.
“Fine.” I sighed and ran my hands through my thick hair. It was shoulder length again and I wanted to shave my scalp almost as much as I wanted to beat all of my problems to death with my fists.
“So, you agree to this story?” Her lips twisted into a slight smile and her eyes gleamed.
“When will you tell me of my daughter?”
“Just before they take you through the Radicle.”
“What if Turnia refuses to let me speak with you at that time?”
“I have a dozen pounds of Mastkur.” Her smile split her face and reminded me of Nadea again.
I nodded at her words and remembered the euphoric feeling that the cooked ribs had on my mind and body. “You feel confident that she will agree?”
The Destroyer Book 4 Page 31
