The Desert Prince

by Peter V. Brett

  Aleveran scowls. “They will accept who the Skull Throne decrees, Drillmaster, and no other.”

  Zim bows again. “Of course, Damaji. I meant no disrespect, only to convey what Prince Olive means to his spear brothers.”

  Aleveran nods, dismissing the drillmaster with a flick of his finger. “It appears the prophecy was true, Prince Olive.”

  “Perhaps,” I say. “Or perhaps you made it true by stealing me from my home and bringing me here. Regardless, my fate is fulfilled, and I call upon you to keep your promise and give back the life you stole.”

  “What could your greenland life offer,” Aleveran asks, “to tip the balance against the white turban and throne of Sharum Ka? As the drillmaster says, there is no other warrior to match your glory and lineage, and Desert Spear requires a First Warrior, now more than ever. Stay, and enjoy the fruits of your victory.”

  For a moment that life flashes before my eyes. It is a life of honor, but it is not my life. I don’t want the Spear Throne, or any throne, though one awaits me at home, as well.

  “No,” I say, drawing breaths of surprise from around the room. Has any warrior in history ever turned down the Spear Throne?

  I keep my eyes on Aleveran. The others do not matter. “Alagai Ka is not dead, Damaji. I do not think any mortal can truly kill the Father of Demons. I must look to my homeland, as you must yours.”

  Rojvah takes a step forward, standing just behind me. As we rehearsed, I take a step back to match her.

  Aleveran raises a brow. “You have something to add, girl?”

  Rojvah takes two steps forward, bowing. “My grandmother, the Damajah, sent me with a message. Had we been received with civility, I would have conveyed it then, but I will offer it now.”

  The lines on Aleveran’s face deepen as he flicks a finger in permission. Chavis looks like she has just sucked a lemon.

  “The Damajah hereby divorces Dama’ting Belina, expelling her from her circle of sister-wives.”

  The news is enough to make even the dama’ting gasp. With that decree, the last tie of blood between New Krasia and Old is severed, weakening Belina’s power even further.

  “If the Damaji wishes to send new ambassadors to the Deliverer’s court in good faith,” Rojvah adds, “they will be welcomed, and can begin negotiations for trade and military support.”

  “What makes you think the Majah need the traitor’s court?” Maroch asks.

  As I did before, Rojvah never takes her eyes off Aleveran, responding as if it had been the Damaji who spoke. “I leave it to your wisdom, Damaji, to decide what is best for your people. I bear the offer, only.”

  The Damaji stares at her for a moment that seems to stretch in time, and then at me. At last he whisks his hand like Mother excusing me from the dining table. “Go, then.”

  Dama Maroch betrays a hint of emotion now, as he turns to face his father, but the Damaji turns a palm to him, and any protests die on his son’s lips.

  “You will have whatever is required for your journey,” Aleveran says, “and our thanks.”

  I nod, but I do not bow before turning on my heel and striding out of the chamber, my friends following behind.

  * * *

  —

  Micha’s body waits outside in the hall, not “worthy” to have been taken before the throne.

  Part of me wants to bring her body back to Hollow and her wife Kendall, but I think in her heart, Sharik Hora is where my sister would want to be interred. Here in the place she was raised, the halls and passages she knew like her own body. Her bones, and Chadan’s, bleached like those of their ancestors, added to those of countless generations of heroes before them, protecting the holy temple with their golden magic.

  The blood I share with my sister is enough to open the blood lock on her choker. I cannot sing as she did, but I claim it—all that I have of hers. I take her marriage earring as well, to give to Kendall when I return home.

  Selen puts an arm around me, and I lean in as she squeezes. “Can’t believe she’s gone.”

  “Hard to believe anything that’s happened, these last months,” I say. We may be going home, but nothing will ever be the same. Not who we are, nor the place we’ll return to. With no one left to define me, I will have to define myself.

  “I think your mum was right,” I say.

  “Ay, don’t ever say that,” Selen says. “What about?”

  “The time for secrets is over,” I say. “We’re going to have to make some changes when we get home.”

  Selen squeezes me tighter. “High time.”

  62

  THE FATHER WAITS

  “So Mam and the others are still alive?” I ask, when Olive finishes recounting what she experienced in the demon king’s mind.

  We’ve been given lavish chambers to await preparation of our caravan home. The Damaji has put servants in the walls to spy on us, but Olive and Rojvah’s chokers keep us in a bubble of silence.

  Selen lays a hand over mine as the thought takes root. Mam and Aunt Leesha ent dead? Part of me refused to believe it was possible for them to die, but news they may still be out there is no easier to accept.

  “It stands to reason,” Olive agrees. “The demon told me he was going to feed them to the hatchling queen, so she could absorb their power.”

  “You cannot trust the word of the Father of Lies,” Rojvah says.

  “Maybe not,” Olive agrees, “but I was in his head, if only for a second. I believe him.”

  “Master Hary used to say the best lies are always true,” I say. “Aunt Leesha’s prophecy was The father waits below in darkness for his progeny to return. Thought it meant my da. That he was still alive. But Ahmann Jardir is my bloodfather, and your da. Maybe the dice were tryin’ to tell us he’s waitin’ on a rescue.”

  Olive sighs. “Core if I know, Darin. Creator as my witness, I’ve never had a throw of the dice make sense to me. Even in hindsight, I still don’t entirely understand my own.”

  “He’ll keep coming for us,” I say. Just the memory of that creature makes my hands shake and my bladder tighten. “Mam says Alagai Ka can heal any injury just by dissipating and re-forming. Din’t go to all this trouble to leave us free.”

  “Ay,” Olive says, “but by the next new moon I mean for us to be safe in Everam’s Bounty. A moon after that, on the Hollow greatward. Alagai Ka won’t have another chance to strike at us, and why bother when he knows we’ll come to him?”

  “How, when we don’t know where he is?” Selen asks.

  But we do, I realize, as more of Leesha’s prophecy becomes clear. We’ve known all along where the mimic neo-queen is. “The city in the mountains.”

  Olive nods. “Safehold.”

  * * *

  —

  Out on the terrace, I am alone with my thoughts, or as close as can be. Sounds from all over reach my ears as folk salvage what they can before moving to the Holy City. After a time they settle into a background din I can ignore.

  That is, until Arick comes and joins me. The Majah have not stripped him of his Sharum blacks, earned this time with blood and ichor. Even with his orange hair and pale skin, the armored robes suit him.

  I don’t turn from my view of the city, but Arick knows I sense him. “You didn’t tell her the demon possessed me, too.”

  He’s right. I left that part out when we filled Olive in on what happened after she left us to rejoin her unit.

  “Neither did Selen, or your sister,” I say. “Or you, for that matter.”

  “Why?” Arick asks. “Was Iraven’s betrayal any worse than mine?”

  “Ent the Creator, Arick,” I shrug. “Not my place to judge. Demon didn’t have you that long. Reckon it takes time to remodel someone’s head.”

  “It doesn’t need to remodel to leave the door unlocked,” Arick says. “I pushed you off that le
dge. I couldn’t control myself. Who knows what else I might do?”

  “Then why didn’t you tell her?” I ask.

  “Because I am a coward who is not ready to die,” Arick says. “Why didn’t you?”

  I spit over the terrace rail. “Because we ent cowards, Arick. Won’t turn on my kin ’cause I’m scared of somethin’ that might or might not’ve happened. If Alagai Ka’s got your stones in a vise, I say we’re better off killing him than you.”

  FAMILY TREE

  KRASIAN DICTIONARY

  Ajin’pal/ajin’pan: Blood brother/blood sister. Name for the bond that forms between a mentor and a young warrior fighting their first alagai’sharak. An ajin’pal or pan is considered a blood relative thereafter.

  Ajin’pel: Blooded to many. A warrior of such renown that they have blooded many an ajin’pal over the years. Ajin’pel are very influential among the Sharum.

  Ala: (1) The perfect world created by Everam, corrupted by Nie. (2) Dirt, soil, clay, etcetera.

  Alagai: Corelings (demons). Direct translation is “plague of Ala.”

  Alagai hora: Demonbones used to create magic items, such as the warded dice dama’ting use to tell the future. Alagai hora burst into flame if exposed to direct sunlight.

  Alagai Ka: The mind demon consort to Alagai’ting Ka, the Mother of Demons. Also known as Father of Demons, the Father of Lies, and the demon king. Alagai Ka and his sons were said to be the most powerful of the demon lords—generals and captains of Nie’s forces.

  Alagai-scale: Special Majah armor technique guarded by the powerful Tazhan family.

  Alagai’sharak: Holy war against demonkind.

  Alagai tail: A whip consisting of three strips of leather braided with sharp barbs to cut into a victim’s flesh. Used by dama as an instrument of punishment.

  Alagai’ting Ka: The Mother of Demons of Krasian myth, also known as the Mother of Evil and the demon queen.

  Alomom: Powder that Watchers use to hide the scent of their sweat.

  Arms of Everam: Guards of the Holy City in Desert Spear. They wear white sleeves with their Sharum blacks, symbolizing their arms in service to the dama.

  Asu: “Son” or “son of,” often used as a suffix or prefix in a boy’s name.

  Baba: Grandfather (informal term of affection).

  Bido: Loincloth worn by both men and women under their robes. A youth who has not yet earned vocational robes is referred to as “still in their bido.”

  Bloodfather: Godparent, used most often for ajin’pal of a deceased father.

  Chin: Outsider/infidel. Anyone who is not at least half-blood Krasian. Chin is derogatory, synonymous with coward.

  Chi’Sharum: Greenbloods who go through Hannu Pash and are raised to warrior status with all of its rights and privileges. Their caste remains below that of the Krasian-blood dal’Sharum.

  Couzi: A harsh, illegal liquor filtered with cinnamon. Because of its potency, couzi is served in tiny cups meant to be taken in one swallow.

  Dal: Prefix meaning “honored.”

  Dal’Sharum: The Krasian warrior caste, which includes the vast majority of the men. Dal’Sharum are broken into smaller units answerable to individual kai’Sharum. Dal’Sharum dress in black armored robes with a black turban helm and night veil. All are trained in hand-to-hand combat (sharusahk), as well as spear fighting and shield formations.

  Dama: Clerical caste, which is above warrior. Dama are both religious and secular leaders. They wear white robes and eschew the spear in favor of alagai tail whips. All dama are masters of sharusahk, the Krasian hand-to-hand martial art, including secret techniques not given to the Sharum.

  Damajah: Singular title for Inevera, the First Wife of Ahmann Jardir, the Shar’Dama Ka. The Damajah is both spiritual and secular leader of every woman in New Krasia.

  Damaji: The male religious and secular leader of one of the twelve tribes of Krasia.

  Damaji’ting: Female religious and secular leader of a tribe with dominion over its women.

  Dama’ting: Female clerical caste, holy women who also serve as healers and midwives. Dama’ting hold the secrets of hora magic, including the power to foretell the future, and are held in fear and awe. Harming a dama’ting or hindering them in any way is punishable by death.

  Desert Spear: Known in the North as Fort Krasia, an enormous fortress city built around the oasis and ancient Holy City of Sharik Hora.

  Draki: Krasian unit of currency.

  Drillmasters: Elite warriors who train nie’Sharum. Drillmasters wear standard dal’Sharum blacks, but their night veils are red.

  Evejah, the: The holy book of Everam, written by Kaji, the first Deliverer, some three millennia past. The Evejah is separated into sections called Dunes. Each dama pens a copy of the Evejah in his own blood during his clerical training.

  Evejan: Name of the Krasian religion, “those who follow the Evejah.”

  Evejan law: Militant religious law imposed on general citizenry.

  Everam: The Creator.

  Everam’s Bounty: Formerly the Free City of Fort Rizon, it was conquered in 333 AR with its vast farmland and became the capital of New Krasia in the green lands.

  Ginjaz: Turncoat, traitor.

  Greenlander: One from the green lands. A less derogatory term than chin.

  Green lands: Krasian name for Thesa (the lands north of the Krasian desert), a large swath of which has become New Krasia.

  Hannu Pash: Literally “life’s path,” this represents both a ceremony and a period of training and religious indoctrination to determine a young Krasian’s vocation.

  Hava: Spice to flavor and preserve food. Hava is foundational in Krasian cooking.

  Heasah: Prostitute.

  Hora magic: Any magic using demon body parts (bones, ichor, etcetera) as a battery to power spells.

  Horn of Sharak: Ceremonial horn blown to begin and end alagai’sharak.

  Inevera: (1) Krasian word meaning “Everam’s will” or “Everam willing.” (2) A common name for women in the Kaji tribe.

  Jiwah/jiwan: Wife/husband.

  Jiwah Ka: First Wife. The Jiwah Ka is the first and most honored of a Krasian man’s wives. She has veto power over subsequent marriages, and can command her sister-wives.

  Jiwah Sen: Lesser wives, subservient to a man’s Jiwah Ka.

  Jiwah’Sharum: Literally “wives of warriors,” these are women who live in Sharum harems during their fertile years. It is considered a great honor to serve. All warriors have access to their tribe’s Jiwah’Sharum, and are expected to keep them continually with child, adding warriors to the tribe.

  Kai’Sharum: Krasian military captains. Kai’Sharum receive special training in Sharik Hora and lead individual units in alagai’sharak. Kai’Sharum wear dal’Sharum blacks, but their night veils are white.

  Kaji: The name of the original Deliverer and patriarch of the Kaji tribe, also known as Shar’Dama Ka. More than three thousand years ago, Kaji united the known world in war against demons, ushering in millennia of peace.

  Kamanj: A bowed string instrument similar to a fiddle that ends in a spike planted on the ground or a player’s leg to steady it.

  Khaffit: Lowest male caste in Krasian society. Expelled from sharaj, khaffit are forced to dress in the tan clothes of children and shave their cheeks as a sign that they are not true men.

  Lonely path: Krasian term for death. All warriors must walk the mist-shrouded road to Heaven, with temptations on the path to test their spirit and ensure that only the worthy stand before Everam to be judged. Spirits who venture off the path are lost.

  Nie: (1) The name of the Uncreator, feminine opposite to Everam, and the goddess of night and demonkind. (2) Nothing, none, void, no, not. (3) Prefix for trainees in line for a vocation.


  Nie’dama: Nie’Sharum selected for dama training.

  Nie’dama’ting: Dama’ting in training. Also known as Betrothed, they are promised Brides of Everam. Men laying hands on them is punishable by death or loss of the offending limb.

  Nie Ka: Literally “first of none,” a term for the head boy of a nie’Sharum class, who commands the other boys as sergeant to the dal’Sharum drillmasters.

  Nie’s abyss: Also known as the Core. In Evejan scripture, it is the seven-layered underworld where alagai hide from the sun. Each layer is populated with a different breed of demon.

  Nie’Sharum: Warriors-in-training.

  Night veil: Veil worn by Sharum during alagai’sharak to hide their identities, showing that all men are equal allies in the night.

  Oot: Dal’Sharum signal for “beware” or “demon approaching.”

  Princes Unit: Olive and Chadan’s Sharum unit, composed of nie’Sharum of various castes blooded young due to crisis. Derided by older warriors as the “Princess” Unit, they top the kill counts almost every night, taking on the most dangerous missions.

  Push’ting: This can refer to people who are homosexual, transgender, or who otherwise challenge gender norms. Same-sex relationships are common in Krasia, but push’ting is used in the derogatory for those who refuse even a symbolic marriage for the purpose of children.

  Scorpion: The scorpion is a giant crossbow using springs instead of a bowstring. It shoots thick spears with heavy heads (stingers) and can kill sand and wind demons outright at a thousand feet, even without wards.

  Sharaj: Barracks for young boys in Hannu Pash, much like a military boarding school. The sharaji are organized by blood. Full blood for the sons and daughters of pure-blooded Majah warrior families. Half blood for the sons of dal’Sharum and chin women. Coward’s blood for the sons of khaffit. Green blood for the sons of chin.

  Sharak Ka: The First War. The final battle of alagai’sharak, when the Deliverer will lead Everam’s armies to victory or defeat.