The Warrior's Curse

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

  Silence followed my words as each person passed a look from one to another, making their guesses as to who might be the first to leave, if anyone. After several seconds without a single person withdrawing from the room, I thought we might have a truly united group.

  I hoped so. Kestra had been betrayed enough for a thousand lifetimes.

  Then Loelle walked forward, the crowd parting for her until she stood before me and Kestra. She looked as empty as I had felt after the death of my mother, but with a pleading in her eyes that bored straight into my heart. With clear respect and humility, she nodded first at Kestra, then at me. “Give me one more chance with Joth. If anyone can reach him, I can.”

  I shook my head. “You’ve tried, Loelle. And he will be more volatile once he begins to absorb the magic within the Olden Blade. I won’t risk your safety.”

  “Your mother gave her life for you. Would I do less for the hope of saving my son?” I didn’t answer right away, and she said, “That is the plan, correct? To kill him?”

  I glanced over at Kestra and was about to respond, when Darrow stepped forward. “I’ll go with her. I’ve been a half-life before, and he knows me.”

  “That won’t matter to him,” Kestra said. “I’ve been exactly where he is now, and I know what is happening in his mind. His every instinct will be to protect his power. He won’t care that you were a half-life; he won’t even care for his own mother if she threatens his power. He won’t see any difference between you coming to him with open arms and me coming at him with a disk bow in my arms.”

  Loelle huffed and was about to reply, when a cry came from the far corner of the room. I couldn’t see who it was or what had happened, but heard a body fall to the floor, then two words emerge from the screams around him: “He’s dead!”

  Kestra and I locked eyes. Horror filled me as I understood what she had not spoken. That had to have been Joth’s work, and he would have done it for only one reason: to warn us to back down.

  I leaned toward her and whispered, “How was Joth able to do that?”

  She began scanning the room. “He must have half-lives here. They’re here, Simon.”

  “I am going to him!” Loelle said. “Give me one hour, and if I do not return, then you may do whatever you must do.”

  Darrow frowned at Kestra. “I cannot let her go alone.” He finished with a glare at me. “See that nothing happens to my daughter.”

  He asked for a promise I would give my own life to keep, but before I reached for Kestra’s hand, she was already following her father, still protesting his going.

  Loelle opened the ballroom door, then drew back, seeing Amala Fingray standing there, the young cavalry woman who had briefly been my commander a few nights ago. I hadn’t noticed she was missing from our meeting earlier.

  But something was different about her now. She stood stiffly at attention, except for one hand pressed against her chest and pain evident in her eyes.

  Joth had made her an Ironheart and taken her for a servant.

  Amala focused on Kestra, clearly resisting every word she was being forced to speak, and gritting her teeth against the pain it caused her to fight. “My master has the Olden Blade, ensuring him immortality and all powers once belonging to Lord Endrick. Surrender now, or every person in this room will die.”

  Kestra looked over to me, and my mind raced for an answer. Joth had proven he was capable of killing remotely, and that he was willing to do it. He might target anyone without notice, and we had no way to save ourselves.

  Blinking hard, Amala’s attention shifted to me. “Will you surrender?”

  “Allow me to send a delegation to your master for formal negotiations,” I said.

  “Send Kestra Dallisor,” Amala said. “The king of Antora has unfinished business with her.”

  “No, Amala.” I stepped forward. “He has unfinished business with me.”

  Amala shook her head, like a warning that I had gone too far, and indeed, immediately a slight wind brushed over me, bringing a pinch to my chest, fierce enough that I collapsed to my knees. Several others in the room did the same, including Trina and Huge and Gabe.

  “I’ll go with you!” Kestra cried. “But your king must stop this!”

  The pressure on my chest lightened, though it was still there. At least I could breathe again.

  Kestra glanced over at me and sadly shook her head, then said, “I will bring with me Darrow and your master’s mother.”

  “Agreed.”

  They started out the door, but at the last moment, Harlyn ran forward. “I’ll come as far as the throne room door, to ensure you all get there safely.”

  Amala stared at her a moment, then said, “That pleases the king.”

  Harlyn followed them out of the room, gripping her hands together with worry, and for good reason. Why would Joth be pleased that Harlyn was coming?

  In less than a minute, Joth had dismantled all our plans for an attack against him. I was now forced to go forward with an army of four. My companions included a father who would sacrifice our mission before putting me at risk, a mother who would not under any circumstances harm her own son. And our fourth member, who for all I knew might still consider my death her prime mission.

  I gave Simon a final glance before rushing out the door. He remained on his knees clutching his chest, a stark reminder of how a single misstep might cost me everything. I’d made so many mistakes already. I hoped this wasn’t another.

  Amala led me out of Woodcourt, with Harlyn and Loelle following and Darrow behind them. Outside, a wagon was already hitched to horses to carry us to Woodcourt. We climbed into the back, and Amala went up front to drive us the short distance to the palace.

  As we rode, the four of us exchanged looks, but none of us dared speak. We all knew it was possible that half-lives were listening or watching. But with an air of nonchalance, Harlyn shifted positions to sit by me. She opened her disk pouch, showing me several disks inside, then gestured for me to give her my satchel.

  I understood her intentions. I had only one disk and she wanted to be sure I was well armed to attack Joth. She must not have fully realized that the black disk I carried was the only one of any consequence. Nothing else would win this war, and to be sure, this was war.

  Still, I could not communicate that to Harlyn, so when she persisted, I gave her my satchel. No matter how many disks she added to my bag, my black one would be easily identifiable by the markings created upon it when it absorbed the magic.

  Harlyn looked more closely at my disk and then suddenly closed up the satchel, holding the ends tight with her fists. I locked eyes with her in understanding and then nodded in agreement with her unspoken plan.

  While Harlyn worked, Darrow caught my attention, motioning toward his disk bow. Did I want it?

  I shook my head. My intentions would be far too obvious if I walked into the throne room thus armed. But I would need it eventually. Darrow would have to find a way to get it to me once we were in the throne room.

  Loelle had quietly observed everything that was happening between us, and I was relieved that she had not said anything to Amala or called attention to our actions. But there were tears in her eyes, and I ached for how she must have felt, knowing what would happen once we entered the throne room.

  Except that just as before, my plans were thwarted. Once we arrived and Amala led us inside the palace, she said, “The king wishes to see Lady Kestra alone.”

  “I am her protector,” Darrow said. “Where she goes, I go.”

  “The lady needs no protection from the king,” Amala said. “As long as she does as she should.”

  That was hardly my plan. I looked at Darrow with my heart suddenly racing and with sweat on my palms. I had always known that ultimately I would have to face Joth, but the idea of being in there alone with him again was terrifying.

  The doors to the throne room opened, and as we began to walk through, I whispered, “Who am I speaking to right now? Are you a Halderian ca
valry woman, or am I speaking to Joth?”

  Her response was equally soft. “Surely you know, my lady.”

  Yes, I knew.

  With an entire wall of exploded windows, the throne room was as wintry cold as the outdoor air, and a light falling snow was collecting at the far end of the room. I gathered my cloak around me, recalling how, only days ago, I would have welcomed this cold. Only days ago, I had been this cold myself.

  Amala left me at the bottom of the steps leading up to the Scarlet Throne, bowed low to Joth, who was seated on the throne, and then exited the room, closing the doors behind us.

  Joth studied me in silence, his mouth slowly widening into a smile. “My lady Kestra. Kneel.”

  “I’ve come to bargain for the lives back in Woodcourt.”

  “Of course you have, and we can discuss that … after you kneel.” I hesitated, and he said, “We both know that with the powers I now have, I can force you to your knees, and I will do that if necessary. But it would mean more if you choose to obey.”

  His threat was similar to one I had made to Harlyn when I had sat on that throne. I understood better now how difficult it was to make oneself kneel to a ruler they had no intention of following.

  Stalling, I asked, “And what does it mean to you, if I kneel?”

  “It means that you recognize I am the king of Antora, and that I am your king.” He stood and walked down the steps until he was directly in front of me. “But I am a king without a queen. We were connected once, Kestra, and I feel your absence. I must have you for my queen.”

  I shook my head. “That will never happen, Joth.”

  Disappointed, he clicked his tongue. “It will. But first you must kneel.” He swiped one hand downward, and immediately I fell to my knees. The same power held me there now.

  With his other hand, he made a cupping shape, then smiled down at me. “My hand appears to be empty, but it is not. In fact, it contains something I believe you will think is quite valuable. This is Simon Hatch’s heart. I know you care for him. Despite your assurances otherwise, I suspect he is the reason you were never able to fully connect with me. But if he is no longer alive, then I will have your full loyalty.”

  With sudden desperation, I looked up, ready to beg at any price, if necessary. “Please don’t.”

  He compressed his fingers slightly, and I could almost hear Simon’s cries from here.

  Taking his hand in mine, and thus stopping his use of magic, I quickly said, “I will be your queen. But you must let the people at Woodcourt live, all of them. Do this, and I will accept you.”

  Joth smiled and pulled me to my feet, then kissed my hand. Keeping hold of my hand, he said, “Soon we will reconnect, and I will restore magic to you, though I hope you understand I will be selective in the powers you can have, and how you can use them.”

  “Restore them now,” I said, absolutely serious. Despite what it might mean for me, magic might be the only way I could still win.

  “Soon, my dear. We have another job first.” As if on cue, the doors to the throne room opened, and Amala led in Loelle and Darrow, but this time, she remained in the room, closing the doors behind her.

  Joth waited a moment, then asked, “Were there not four of you who came?”

  “Yes, Harlyn Mindall was here,” Amala said. “But when I returned from delivering Kestra, she had disappeared.”

  “Find her,” Joth said. “Go and find her and bring her to me, or you will take her punishment.”

  “Don’t do anything to her,” Loelle cried. “Please, my son—”

  “You should consider me your king, not your son,” Joth said. “Because you are now only a servant with no particular importance to me.”

  Loelle tilted her head. “Oh?”

  “Among his other powers, Endrick could heal himself,” Joth said. “Your powers do not benefit me any longer.”

  “My powers?” Loelle stepped forward. “Is that all that matters to you?”

  “Of course not.” He leaned back in his seat. “What matters is that you chose a side. You are working with the Coracks again, using that power of healing on my enemies.”

  “If the sick or injured are set before me, I will heal them first and ask which side they are on later. If any of the restored half-lives are injured here, I will heal them too.”

  Joth’s smile became ice. “I restored those with the magic I wanted. They are of no benefit to me anymore.”

  My heart stopped as I realized what he meant. Loelle was slower to put the pieces together, but gradually, her understanding showed on her face. Joth must have followed Endrick’s pattern of obtaining powers through the deaths of those whose magic he wanted.

  Hence, those he had chosen for me to restore. That was always his purpose.

  Loelle shook her head, still in disbelief. “Please tell me you didn’t.”

  Joth stuck out his hand unapologetically. “I have acquired the powers of all our people of Navan, except those in my service inside Woodcourt. And you.”

  Loelle stepped backward with widening eyes. “I am your mother.”

  “Yes, but I do not need you anymore either.” Joth put his arm around my waist, pulling me close. I tried to put any possible gap between us, though every time he noticed, he pulled me in again. “Soon, Kestra will be my wife. She will become the mother to a new race of Navan. Each of them born with magic of their own.”

  I looked over at him in horror as Darrow said, “Kestra is my daughter, King Joth. I request a moment in private with her to assure myself that she is marrying you of her own choice.”

  “That is not necessary, because you see, the marriage is not her choice. That will change eventually, once I restore her magic. All I need now is her loyalty.” Joth turned to me. “Prove yourself, Kestra. There is someone who needs to die, and I need you to do it.”

  “Who?”

  Joth smiled. “You’ll see.”

  I felt frozen. Not with cold and certainly not corruption, but I could not move. I absolutely would not harm Darrow or Loelle, or anyone upon his orders. But the consequences of my refusal were equally horrifying.

  Joth withdrew a dagger from the belt at his waist and set it in my hands. “You wish that this was the Olden Blade, no doubt,” he said, winking at me. “But as that particular weapon is obviously a threat to me now, I have that in my protection.”

  I stared down at his dagger. “I can’t do it this way. Not so close.”

  “Then how will you do it?” Joth asked.

  “Darrow has a disk bow.”

  “I have no disks,” Darrow said, for Joth to hear.

  “Yes, you do.” Joth nodded at his satchel. “Give them to me.”

  Darrow slowly reached into his satchel and pulled out two disks, one black and the other the white one that had restored my life. He placed them on Joth’s flattened hand.

  “These won’t do,” I said to Joth. “You could always restore someone from a white disk’s effects. And the black disk will work too fast. If you wish for me to prove my loyalty, then give me a red one.”

  “Creating a wound that cannot be stopped up?” Joth said. “Is that because you still have magic and hope to save your victim?”

  I must’ve hesitated a second too long, because he grabbed my hand and suddenly his even tone became a snarl. “How are you alive, Kestra?” When I hesitated again, he said, “There’s a rumor from one of my half-lives, about a disk that contained a power to restore life.” He showed me the two disks that Darrow had given him. “Which of these is capable of that?”

  “These disks will kill, nothing more.” I tried to squirm away from him but failed. “You’re hurting my arm, Joth.”

  He released my arm, then threw both disks against the wall of the throne room, shattering them. Then he looked up at Amala as she was reentering the room. “We will take no chances. Bring me another black disk.”

  Amala bowed and left the room, and while we waited, Loelle said, “My son, do you remember our time in All Spi
rits Forest?”

  His mood seemed to soften. “Of course.”

  Loelle stepped forward, subtly motioning to me to move away from him, which I did. “Do you remember the way you cared for the half-lives, watched out for them?”

  “I remember.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “I care for you too, more than you can imagine. It is a mother’s love, and the power of it is greater than the corruption within you.”

  “Love is weakness!” he shouted, then with an eye on me added, “A soft heart is a pierced heart. Didn’t you teach me that once?”

  I stared back at him, surprised to be feeling sympathy for what he had become. “A pierced heart can be shared. One that is hardened remains alone.”

  Loelle finally reached his side, placing a hand on his arm. “Release the Ironhearts at Woodcourt. Give them a chance to kneel to you, even as we do.”

  She knelt at his feet and motioned for Darrow and me to do the same.

  Darrow said, “If we kneel, will you release those still at Woodcourt?”

  “I have loosened my grip on their hearts enough that they can come here to bargain for their lives.” Joth reached out his hand to summon me to him, but I pretended not to see it. “Together we will build a kingdom with the Alliance as the first of our servants. At least, those who are allowed to live.”

  At that moment, Amala returned to the throne room holding a black disk. She dipped her head at Joth, who held out his hand for the disk. Once he received it, he passed it to me.

  “Now get the disk bow for her,” Joth ordered.

  Amala obeyed, placing it in my hands.

  I took the bow but asked, “Is there no other way to prove my loyalty?”