Knight of Wands (A Steampunk Fantasy Adventure Novel) (Devices of War Book 2)

by SM Blooding

  The living quarters were deserted and quiet, but as I drew closer to the far end of the hall where the elevator was, the noise was much louder.

  I pressed the button letting the platform technician know I needed access, and walked to the end of the hallway. A thin, letharan skin wall was the only thing separating me from the cityscape far below. I had a direct and open view of the arena.

  The storm had passed and we were once again above water. Air ships glided in the air around us, basking in the bright light of Kala. Sunlight filtered through the Ino lethara’s medusa and bathed the arena in varying shades of blues, yellows, reds and greens.

  The large table was gone, replaced by a maze of tents. People milled around them, talking loudly. Music from several groups collided as they rose through the city.

  The metal grate slid open, signaling the arrival of the platform. I jogged back and entered the shaft with a brief smile to the technician. “Arena, please.”

  She nodded and shifted the levers taking us down.

  The dais still stood in place. Three of the four queens sat near the front, talking to one another. Mother and several of the other Family elders stood in small clusters, issuing orders to younger members who ran to do as they were instructed.

  That was one thing I had to remember. Even though the younger generation was ready to take over, we took a lot for granted. My gut twisted. Were the elders really going to just turn over the running of their cities to us that easily?

  As leader of the El’Asim, I knew I needed to at least make an appearance. But as soon as I could, I was getting out of there, finding Joshua, and investigating last night’s events.

  Dyna smiled at me as soon as my feet touched the steps to the dais. She turned back to her sisters, appearing at ease surrounded by the tribal families. Her hair was pulled back in a twisting knotwork of blonde braids. She wore the blue and silver leather uniform, though there were no visible weapons.

  I frowned, looking for Nix.

  She was nowhere to be seen.

  I walked up to Mother feeling relieved and disappointed.

  She smiled and cupped my head in her hands, drawing my forehead to hers.

  I returned the gesture. It still felt odd to be this at ease with the woman who had ignored me my entire life. I pulled away. “What are my obligations today?”

  The jewels and shells in her gray streaked black hair jingled as she walked to the front of the dais. Her silver lethara jewel caught the low levels of light. “Today, choose a wife.”

  My hackles rose. “I thought we discussed that Oki and Zara are looking for husbands.” I was sure Ryo was looking for a wife. The time was prime.

  “You are not free of this obligation, Synn. You are the El’Asim. You cannot afford to be without a wife.”

  “I don’t have time for that right now.”

  “You don’t have the leisure to push this off, my son.” She scanned the dais. “Your soul is bound to the Queen of Wands. She holds too much power over you. It would be a show of faith to the people of the tribes. They need to see she doesn’t control you.”

  I didn’t want to think about another woman. I didn’t want to consider any woman. After what Nix had done . . .

  She patted my arm and pushed me in the direction of the arena. “All the candidates are below, showing off their prowess.”

  I stared at her, my mouth open. “Like what?”

  She shrugged. “Cooking, cleaning, maintaining living space, coordinating, handling children.” She batted her short lashes. “The things you mere men think just magically happen.”

  I smiled, my jaw clenched. I didn’t have time for this. Those we’d lost last night had to be avenged. “I’m sure there’s something else I need to do. Planning—”

  She cut me off with a wave of her hand. “Those of us losing our voice—” One black eyebrow rose. “—are taking care of the details, Synn. You, go find a wife.”

  I winced and stepped back, clearly dismissed. I bit my lips and took in a deep breath.

  Dyna caught my gaze, a laughing smile on her lips, but she said nothing.

  Thank the Sky Father.

  In each tent was a female, her name, family, and city type posted outside. I couldn’t believe this was a game. They were competing to see who could cook the best meal. Most of the women I knew didn’t know how to cook any better than us “mere” men.

  Someone clasped my shoulders and gave them a firm shake. “I see ye’ve received yer orders.”

  I turned. Just the man I needed to talk to. “You knew about this?”

  Joshua’s eyes were wide as he nodded. “She gave me the same ones.” He feigned horror as we squeezed around several men crowded around one particular tent. “Last remaining male of m’ family and all tha’.”

  I shook my head. The woman they were all crowding around looked perfectly lovely. Long, dark hair cascading down her slender back. She practically danced around the tent as she cooked. It was mesmerizing. “Tell me you didn’t take her seriously.”

  “Synn, man, yer mother’s a beast. I’m afraid for my life should I choose ta ignore her.”

  I snorted. “Where’s Keeley?”

  Joshua’s lips disappeared as he led the way.

  I jogged to follow. The man had long legs. “What’s being done about last night?”

  He sobered and slowed. “I have people searchin’ the remains of all the ships you recovered, bu’ there’s no’ a lot there. The harnesses were soaked in somethin’, but Keeley says it’s only irritating to the poor buggers, nothin’ deadly. Anyway, yer mother’s gone and taken off with any evidence we had.”

  “Is there anything that ties back to Iszak Tokarz? Was his jelly affected? Were any of his ships sabotaged?”

  “No, but he’s claimin’ ya warned him and he set a guard on his jelly.”

  I gnashed my teeth. “Witnesses?”

  “We’re workin’ on it. Honestly, Synn, I’ve never done anythin’ like this before. Ye’d be better askin’ Carilyn to help ye.”

  I didn’t see how she could be any help interrogating the tribal families who all despised her for being a Hand.

  “But look, I’m workin’ on it. If I find out anythin’, I’ll let ye know.”

  “I need to—”

  He cut me off. “Trust me, lad. Find a wife. If ye don’, that harpy woman you call a mother’ll skin ye alive.” He turned the corner and disappeared.

  I found him leaning on the counter of Keeley’s tent. No one else was gathered and I could see why. She absently stirred a large copper kettle, her chin resting on her hand, her nose deep in a book.

  I chuckled and joined Joshua at the counter. “I’m glad to see you’re taking the games seriously.”

  She rolled her eyes and let the wooden spoon fall into the spinning liquid. “I can’t believe they call this a competition.” She glared and slumped on the counter, her flame colored hair tied back in a long braid. The sun filtered over it in different colors of red and orange. “This is humiliating.”

  I put my elbows on the counter next to her. “Looks like it. Being raised by the Hands the way you were, did you ever have to . . . ” I gestured to the tent in the back.

  She glanced back there. “Never.”

  Joshua snorted.

  Her shoulders slumped. “Okay. Once, but it was in punishment, and trust me when I say I never did that again.”

  I laughed, staring at her in mock wonder. “What did you do?”

  “I borrowed a book too long from the library.”

  I held pressed my fingertips into my forehead and laughed. That sounded about right. I didn’t want to look at women and try to decide by their cooking if they were good marrying material. There was no one in front of Keeley’s tent anyway. “Okay, well, I’m pretty handy in a kitchen. Let me take a look at . . . ” I tried to peer inside the pot, but couldn’t see anything. It didn’t smell good. “ . . . whatever that is and see if I can’t salvage something for you.”

  “We’
re supposed to have a taste off or something in an hour.” She turned to the make-shift kitchen staring at it helplessly. “I don’t care if I lose. I’m not interested in marrying. I have a lot to learn and think I can make a . . . ” She trailed off.

  I hopped over the counter. “Trust me. I’m not in the shop for a wife either.” I lifted the lid on the pot and turned my nose up. I wasn’t sure what she’d attempted to cook, but it smelled like she’d killed it.

  She gave me a look of hopelessness.

  I took the pot and set it aside with a smile. “You are going to make a fantastic healer one day, Keel, but you are never going to make a great cook.” I chuckled at her. “Not that way, at least.”

  She winced and watched me as I dug around the shelves, looking to see what was available.

  I took a wide pan, put it on a burner of her flat-topped heating unit and stoked the fire underneath.

  “How did you learn to cook?”

  I shrugged, taking a few vegetables I actually knew. “On an airship, we all take turns at it. There just aren’t enough of us.” I handed her some long carrots. “Cut these, please.”

  She took them from me. “So what are you making?”

  “We are making a rice dish with some sautéed vegetables. You kind of ruined your only meat, so . . . ”

  She flattened her lips. “I can’t believe Ino Nami is making us do this.”

  “Me either.” I stared around the tent. “I can tell you I don’t need a cook as a wife. I mean, yeah, I guess, it would be neat, but it’s not needed on a fleet.”

  She dumped the carrot pieces in a small bowl and leaned against one of the shelves, crossing her arms. “So what does the great El’Asim need in a wife?”

  I glanced at her, turned back to the pan, and then twisted back to her again, watching her with an incredulous grin. “Are you interested or jealous?”

  She raised two pale brows and pushed off the shelves.

  I dumped some sea weeds into the pan with a swish and a rise of steam. “Come here.”

  She smiled up at me, but did as I requested.

  I stepped aside so she could take my spot.

  She hesitated, glancing at me. The space was tight. “What?”

  I reached around her. “Smell this.”

  She did, frowning in question.

  “This is what this type of sea weed is supposed to smell like. If they start to turn sour, they’ve been cooked too long.” I reached around her for two bowls of different herbs. “Now smell this.” I brought the bowls into the steam rising from the pan. “Do you smell how they blend with the sea weeds?”

  She nodded, smiling up at me.

  I handed her the bowls. “Have fun.”

  She frowned as she dumped a few herbs in, stirring the sea weeds in the pan. “So you cook with your nose.”

  I nodded, tasting several other vegetables that I had no name for.

  “You never said what you’re looking for in a wife.”

  I decided on a few vegetables that had a nutty flavor and handed them to Keeley. “Taste them. Tell me what you think and then add them if you like them.”

  She took them with a quirk of her lips as she did as instructed.

  I grabbed the bag of rice. “I don’t know. In the fleet, we don’t need cooks, or women who sit around and sew, or who herd children. We all do that.”

  “What does Zara do?”

  I laughed. “She doesn’t cook. You can bet she’s doing a worse job at this than you. Trust me.”

  She tossed a handful of something in the pan. “Is that even possible?”

  Someone pounded on the counter.

  I glanced up.

  It was Joshua. He looked winded as he grinned at us, glancing in the direction he’d just come. “Oh, yeah. Ye’d best believe it. That woman is a right mess in the kitchen. She’s gathered qui’e the crowd about it, too. For the love of dirt, tha’ woman has destroyed her tent. I’m not kiddin’ ya.”

  I threw my head back and laughed. “I believe it.”

  Keeley watched us from the pan.

  “Oh my heavenly dirt, what is tha’?” Joshua hopped onto the counter but didn’t join us. “It smells amazing.”

  Keeley blushed and looked away.

  He turned to me, giving me moon eyes as he clasped his hands to his chest. “Synn, will ye marry me? Yer cooking is divine, and I find I’m near swept away by it.”

  Chuckling, I pushed him off the counter. “Find yourself another.”

  He hopped into the empty area in front of Keeley’s tent, shot me a grin, and then sped off in the direction of what I assumed was Zara’s tent.

  “So you need a warrior wife,” Keeley said.

  I shrugged.

  She handed me something that was purple and limp. “What about this?”

  I wrinkled my nose and put one in my mouth. My eyebrows raised in surprise, I nodded. “Sure. But we should add . . . ” I rummaged in her spice bowls. “This maybe?” I offered it up to her nose.

  She shrugged after taking a wiff and dumped some in the pan. “What’s the worst thing that could happen? No one will want to marry me and I’ll be free to do whatever I want.”

  I leaned against the cooler side of her stove, watching as she prepared the rice. “So what is it that Keeley wants to do?”

  She put the rice in the slot underneath the fire container. “I don’t know. Do you really think that this peace will work?”

  I took in a deep breath, tipping my head. “I hope so.”

  She ducked her head. “I want to stay on Asim City. I’ve really gotten to know the lethara and I really like what I’m doing there.”

  I watched her flame-colored head. I didn’t know what was going on in my heart. I liked her. A lot. She’d been my first friend at Sky City. If it hadn’t been for her, I might very well have become Nix’s puppet. I was indebted to her, but she . . . she wasn’t the type of person who would use that against me. I swallowed. “What if you—”

  “Gentlemen, gentlemen, look at what we have here.”

  I straightened, closing my eyes for patience.

  “The El’Asim is cooking in a kitchen like a woman,” someone said, thumping the counter.

  I didn’t look up as I handed Keeley a peeled root so she could chop it and add it to the pan of frying vegetables. Maybe if I ignored him, he’d leave.

  The man snorted. “I hear the air games will resume tomorrow.”

  I glanced up and the smile slipped from my face. Iszak Dekklar. I clenched my jaw.

  His slithery smile widened. “Are you afraid you’ll lose to me?”

  I straightened, walking slowly to the counter. “I don’t have to compete again. I actually completed the mission. I don’t know if you heard.”

  His lips twisted in disgust. “I don’t understand the world where you get to be a great leader.”

  My fists clenched. “I don’t understand a world where a man thinks the only way he can win is by destroying the homes and lives of hundreds of others.”

  He flinched with a smile that wasn’t quite real.

  “What did you think you would gain? The respect of the world?”

  He took a step back, an eyebrow raised, his hands open wide. “But I did. You all fear me now.”

  I didn’t fear him. I wanted to kill him.

  He shrugged. “That’s all I ever intended.” He disappeared into the crowd.

  I ground my teeth. I was going to make that man pay for what he’d done.

  I glanced at Keeley and relaxed. But not today.

  CHAPTER 25

  DANCING

  I joined the other men, taking down the tents, stashing everything away. We laughed good naturedly, ribbing one another, giving each other a hard time.

  But under all of our good nature was a hint of sorrow. People were missing those who should have been there. Nothing was said outright, but I noticed.

  A large drum beat three times.

  Laughing, we all turned to the raised dais where my
mother stood in her turquoise silk robes, a large, sapphire blue sash tied at her waist with a large bow at the back. She raised her hands for silence.

  She took a microphone in her hand and spoke into it. There was no sound. She looked to her left.

  People scrambled to fix the issue.

  We all waited, laughing with one another.

  A loud squawk filled the air.

  Mother closed her eyes, bringing the microphone to her mouth again. “Let the taste testing begin.”

  All of that for . . . I shook my head and headed toward the tables.

  There were some obvious favorites. Women of such beauty and grace. I ignored them. They had enough men falling over them, tasting their food, giving them empty words.

  The long bank of tables curved around most of the floor. Finally, I found the women I was after.

  Keeley, Oki, and Zara were all together. Zara and Keeley talked to each other, the men basically leaving them alone.

  Oki had a long string of men gathered around her small section of table.

  She sent me a desperate look.

  I chuckled and kept walking.

  Zara leaned against the table. “Tell me you, at least, are not buying into this.”

  I sniffed a roll from Zara’s platter, and put it back. “You’ll find someone, Zar. Someone who understands the benefit of having a wife who doesn’t cook.”

  She took the roll and threw it at me.

  I laughed and backed up.

  A group of men walked up to us. They were respectful, their Adalic broken. Their Handish was pretty good. They tried Keeley’s food, and struck into conversation with her.

  Zara leaned forward and said, “Brother, if you want her, you’re going to have to tell her.”

  I opened my mouth, but couldn’t find words to say.

  She pushed me away, calling the men over to her.

  The problem was that I didn’t want her. I liked her. As a friend. I didn’t want any woman, not after Nix. Dear Sky, would I ever be done with that woman? I hated her.

  Keeley’s eyes flared at me as they moved on. “Your cooking was too good.”