B0161NEC9Y (F) (31 page)

Kallon sang out the words, his voice deep and clear. A few others took up the harmony as her people pushed in close, wrapping their arms around each other. They pulled Daniels, Tomous, and the Honor Guard into their embrace, forming two tight circles around Tobias’ body. Soon the entire field was quiet, listening to the solemn tune. When the song came to the end, Kallon sang it once more, this time for the other mourners.

Finally, with tears streaming down her face, Shanti said goodbye to Tobias for the last time. “I will miss you, my friend.” She entwined her fingers in Rohnan’s and moved on through the rest of the fallen.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Two days after the battle, Shanti saw Cayan standing quietly outside his mansion, looking up at the ruin. The front right had been blasted out, showing the scarred and blackened interior. The fire caused by the explosion had eaten through to the upper floor and damaged half the rooms on that side. The other end of the house was mostly intact, thankfully. The Hunter had kept good care of it while he had been there.

Shanti walked up beside him quietly and slipped her hand into his. He took his hand back and threw his big arm around her shoulders, hugging her close. Give the man a little…

“It could’ve been a lot worse,” Cayan said in a somber tone. “We lost people, but we could’ve lost a whole city. I hate to say it, but we were lucky it was the Hunter and not someone else. He was after
us
. He was content to keep the city in order while he waited.”

“What will you do now?” she asked quietly.

“Rebuild my house. Clean up our city.”

Shanti felt the bubble of joy at
our city,
but just as quickly stiffened. She needed to talk to him about their plans.
Her
plans. She needed to tell him that she couldn’t stay. Her duty wouldn’t allow it. And she needed to do it now before it became any harder.

She’d opened her mouth to spill it out when they heard shouting.

Her people filed into the street a moment before she threw up her shields and clued in to the minds walking quietly into Cayan’s lands. She glanced at Kallon, the one chosen to monitor their surroundings while everyone else got a needed break. “
You’re getting slow. We should’ve known about intruders before the sentries.
”

“He knew.
”
Kallon pointed at Cayan. “
He is monitoring at all times. I did not want to…provoke him.
”

Kallon didn’t want to speed up their penis-measuring contest before Cayan was totally healed, he meant. Shanti rolled her eyes.

“
He is trying to do too much,
”
Mela said.
“You must scale him back for his health.
”

Shanti blew out a breath. That was easier said than done. Cayan wasn’t a man to rest after his city had been taken by another. She should’ve known he wouldn’t shut off. It was another thing she’d need to talk to him about.

“It’s the Shadow,” Cayan said in a monotone as he continued to look up at his house. He looked at her a moment later, and then turned toward the gate. His eyes and mind both warred with loss and exhaustion. “They made great time.”

As they started away, Shanti’s people, as one, moved behind them, fanned out, and completely synchronized.

“Not even the Shadow work together like your people,” Cayan said in a low tone as Sanders came jogging into view.

“I just heard we have visitors, sir.” Sanders glanced around them. “Looks like we don’t need the sentries as much.”

“It’s the Shadow,” Shanti said as they neared the gate. “Urgency rides their movements.”

“The Shadow?” Sanders fell in beside them. “They shouldn’t be here for another half-week.”

“Sir! Sir!” A man jogged at them with a harried expression. “The intruders have huge animals with them! Should we take them down?”

“No.” Cayan stopped just inside the gate. “They’re friendly. The Shadow people come to aid us.”

The news of who came spread quietly until the word “Shadow” was whispered within waiting crowds. A few women, including Maggie and Alena, showed up in pants and with bows, coming from practicing with their weapons.

Sanders mouth turned into a thin line. He was pretending he didn’t notice. Cayan kept his face completely neutral. He’d already admitted that having more archers was a great thing, but including them in training would be tricky. A great many men had grudgingly accepted Shanti into their midst, but that was because she could easily kill them, and she wasn’t their kind. They could ignore her. Having their wives training, or their daughters, made more than a few uncomfortable. They joined the army to keep their loved ones safe, not to fight beside them and possibly see them die.

Three black shapes came sprinting through the open gates.

“What the—” Men tripped as they back-pedaled, pulling out their swords. Maggie nocked her arrow as Alena dashed out of sight.

The three cats bounded up to Cayan and Shanti, playful. Midnight and Phaebus, Cayan’s animals, gave their feline roars and nearly pushed him over. Shanti’s, which still hadn’t been named, if she didn’t count calling it
nuisance
, rubbed its forehead against her legs and paused as she bent to scratch it.

A man with flaming red hair and a fatigued expression led the progression of Shadow warriors into the city. Three huge beasts lumbered in the back, the fur on their backs standing on end with the fear and worry they sensed in Cayan’s people.

“Chosen,” Sonson said as he greeted Cayan, a relieved smile gracing his face. He looked at Shanti. “
Chulan.
You didn’t wait for us?”

Cayan stepped forward and took his outstretched hand. Since there were two Chosen, they often called Cayan Captain or Chosen in his language, and Shanti Chosen in the Shumas language. “Welcome. We’re still cleaning things up.”

“We ran into some of the enemy,” Sonson said, his expression turning grave. “The cats and beasts got most of them, but we took down a few with our bows.”

“On the way?” Cayan asked as some of the stable hands jogged up, their eyes wary as they looked over the beasts.

“Yes, but also outside of your lands. None of them were officers, though. Looks like you didn’t get everyone that invaded.” Sonson’s eyes sparkled with malice. “Xandre has something planned, I’m sure of it. He is trying to bar the Shadow from the land while locking you in. Our time is short.”

Cayan’s eyes turned hard. “We’ll need to plan the next steps. But for now, let’s get you settled, and a warm meal.”

Sonson sighed gratefully. “I’m ashamed we weren’t in time to help, but a meal would be just the thing.”

After Shanti and Cayan left the Shadow to get settled, passing them off to Cayan’s assistants and planning to meet up after they were fed and rested, Cayan walked Shanti toward the park slowly with the cats staying close. Once in the trees, and apparently ignoring her people who didn’t plan to be separated, he stopped and turned to her. The failing light cast his handsome face in soft light, easing the lines of stress and fatigue.

“Things are changing now,” Cayan said in a low tone. “Some of the Duke’s men are going home to their families, but some are staying. They know that the war follows you. They want to be a part of it. So will others. Things will change even more in the future, but I want us to face it together, Shanti. I want us to deal with things as a team.”

“We already do, Cayan.”

“You’ve made this city yours,” he went on, as if not hearing her. “You’ve earned the trust and respect of my people. More, the Women’s Circle seems to think you are their voice. I’ve been told that they will talk to you from now on, not me.” He paused for a moment, his gaze delving into hers. His
Gift
wound within her tightly. “That place is reserved for my wife.”

Tingles went down her spine.

“I approve of their choice.” A ghost of a smile graced his full lips. His dimples amplified the handsomeness of his face. “Marry me, Shanti, and lead this city with me. The Shadow view us as one entity, as do I. As do my people, after the battle. I would like to make that official, with your permission.”

Shanti looked up with a dumb expression. That had completely come out of nowhere. Her mind raced. Flashes of war and pain crowded her memories; she felt the deaths of her parents, and then her people. What she’d told Rohnan in Clintos came back to her. Xandre was stripping everything from her that she held dear. If this city became partly hers, it would become an even bigger target.

She opened her mouth to answer, knowing what she should say, and what she was tempted to say. Before she could utter the words, though, she heard, “Captain!”

Cayan’s assistant hastened up with a piece of paper. He held it out. “You and Shanti have received a message.”

With a furrowed brow, Cayan took the slip of paper and unfolded it. He studied the contents for a second before handing it to her silently. His eyes were troubled.

Shanti felt her people drift closer, bursts of fear and curiosity emanating from them—they would have to get used to predators treated like pets. She read the note out loud: “The final stage has come. It is time for the Chosen to wander. You must fulfill your destiny. To fail in this will mean all of our deaths.” It was signed
Burson.

“No pressure, huh, Burson?” Shivers raced through Shanti’s body. Her remaining people hadn’t reached Cayan’s city yet, not to mention the Shadow, and she had no idea how to get a message to anyone who was traveling. She needed all of them. She needed their
Gifts
and their fighting ability. The
Seers
had been adamant about the number and type of people who would need to be included in the last battle.

As a growing unease ate away at her gut, she looked up at Cayan.

His jaw was set and frustration raged through his emotions. Over that was steadfast confidence. He wouldn’t want to leave his people so soon after an invasion, if ever. He’d want to merge with other armies and try to fight Xandre on his home turf. She didn’t need him to confirm all that with words, she knew it as sure as she was standing there.

Shanti bit back an explosive urge to punch something.

“Burson was wrong about getting our city back,” Cayan said, reading her as easily as she did him.

“He said it would be best to wait, not that it would be impossible if we didn’t.” Shanti was walking before she even knew where she was going. Feeling her emotions, her people filed in around her. “He isn’t wrong, Cayan. We have to kill Xavier before he can get his army organized and more officers trained. Waiting here is as good as killing all of your people.”

“Waiting here is death,” Kallon agreed in a somber voice. “His army spans the land. Most aren’t trained well, but they will act as the waves of the ocean, coming in force, one after the other, until they wash us all away.”

“He’s right,” Shanti said. “Even with all of our allies in one place, it wouldn’t be enough. Xandre is decades ahead of us, and he won’t fail again. Our time is limited.”

Cayan was quiet for a time, his emotions turbulent. Finally he said, “As soon as enough Shadow get here to secure the city with mental power, and we’re sure the women archers can help bolster the ranks, we’ll take the next step.”

Shanti let out a breath. Her heart started to thump. The final leg of her long journey was about to begin. It was time to fulfill her duty and kill Xandre, or die trying.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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