Blades of the Old Empire (5 page)

The road through the city’s north gate ran up toward the hills, barely visible in the distant haze. The plains spread around it as far as the eye could see, in a gradual ascent to the distant Ridges’ outskirts, a jagged line of peaks rising out of the blue haze at the horizon. Kyth turned in the saddle for a last look at the stone lace of the Crown City of Tandar, bathed in the beams of the rising sun. Behind it, the golden glow of the lake swallowed the horizon, making it seem as if the city, with its roofs, domes, and spires, was hanging at the edge of the world. Kyth held still for a moment, taking in the view. Then he urged his horse around the bend of the road, to level up with Kara riding in the middle of their small formation.

Kara was silent, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. As Kyth’s gaze fell on her hand, he saw a fresh wound grazing her dark skin, half-hidden by the long sleeve of her shirt. Mesmerized, he leaned forward in the saddle and pulled the cloth away. “What happened?”

She shrugged. “Practice fight.”

He looked at her in disbelief. There were very few people in the world capable of reaching through Kara’s defense in a fight, and they were all her equals in rank. Diamonds. Did they do such things often? Wasn’t it unnecessarily risky for Diamonds to be practicing with real weapons?

She grinned. “Mai has a wicked left hook.”

“
Mai?
” A chill ran down Kyth’s spine. He thought of Mai’s staff with retractable blades. A treacherous, vicious weapon. To think that this ruthless man used it to fight Kara and wounded her.

“Do you often practice with real weapons?” he asked.

Kara’s eyes glittered with mischief. “We don’t. Our trainers could have our hides for this. It was just too… tempting.”

“Tempting?” Kyth made the effort to adjust the mental picture again. It didn’t quite work.

“Mai and I are well matched,” she went on, seemingly oblivious to his emotions. “
Really
well. It’s almost as if… as if he’s my
shadow
.” The last word trailed off into silence, the pause so long that it seemed she wasn’t going to say anything else. But after a while she continued in a steady voice. “I guess I just wanted to find out.”

“Your
shadow
?”

She turned to look at him, her gaze becoming distant. “Sorry, Kyth. It’s something only a Majat can know.”

Shadow
. He didn’t like the sound of it. “Did you also wound him?”

She shook her head. “No. Couldn’t get through at all. Anyway, we only fought until first blood, and it happened to be mine.”

Kyth’s gaze slid to the scratch on her hand again. It was deeper than he had first thought, running along the edge of her wrist down to her fingers.

“Do you think it was a good idea?”

She grinned, mischief back in her eyes. “Definitely not. I was surprised he accepted my challenge.”

Kyth’s eyes widened. The image of Kara challenging Mai to a deadly fight was difficult to accept. Or was it the fact that she’d found it
tempting
? He was about to speak, but saw Raishan slowing down ahead. The Majat’s downturned hand balled into a fist. Kara kicked her horse to level up, leaving Kyth behind.

The road ran around the bend into a small grove of mountain hazel, similar to those scattered here and there among the hills. As they neared the trees, Kyth imagined he saw movement in the low shade of the bushy growth by the roadside.

Kara and Raishan pulled their reins, bringing the party to a halt. They remained still for a moment, like two tightly strung bows ready to fire.

“Twelve,” Kara said eventually. “Maybe thirteen.”

“Right.” Raishan urged his mount on at a walk. Everyone followed.

As the shadows of the first hazels fell on them, Kyth noticed several black-robed figures moving through the thicket parallel to them. Raishan rode to the outside of the formation, closest to the trees. Kara stayed in front.

Kyth kept his eyes on the bushes, trying to catch sight of the moving shapes. When he finally looked at the road ahead, he was so startled he almost fell off his horse.

Five hooded men stood across the road side by side, blocking the way. Kyth’s heart raced. For a moment it seemed like a repeat of the scene back in the castle courtyard. His eyes darted to Alder, whose face mirrored his alarm. The brothers moved their horses closer together, pulling up behind the Majat.

Kara’s face remained calm. She directed her horse at the roadblock, but the hooded men stood their ground, forcing her to stop. Then, the one in the center stepped forward and took off his hood.

He had a slight build, sharp bird-like features, and short brown hair that stood atop his head in an unruly mop. His eyes were so black that Kyth couldn’t see the irises, just uniform ebony disks set deep inside the eye sockets. He shivered as the stranger met his gaze.

“Your Highness. What a pleasure.” The black-eyed man slid forward and took Kyth’s horse by the reins.

Raishan drew his sword. Alder freed the axe from its strap and weighed it in his hand. Egey Bashi crowded on them from behind.

Kyth stopped them with a raised hand. “Let go of my horse,” he said.

The man smiled, glancing around the group. “Or what?”

“Or I’ll take your arm off,” Raishan said.

The man’s hand dropped away, but his face did not show proper fear as he turned to face the Majat. “So, the boy’s under protection, eh? Is he paying you, Aghat?”

Raishan kept his silence, adjusting the grip on his sword in a short, meaningful gesture.

“What do you want?” Kyth asked, still keeping his hand up.

The man turned back to him, his black eyes drawing light into their dizzying depths.

“All I want,” he said, “is to become your friend. Close friend, Your Highness. Perhaps, close enough so that we could travel together?”

Kyth slowly lowered his hand. “Who are you?”

The man chuckled. “I’m Nimos. And I’m really so glad to meet you,
Kyth
.”

Kyth narrowed his eyes. “You’ve met me. Now what?”

Nimos’s dark eyes searched the party and stopped on Alder.

“What about you, handsome lad? Don’t
you
want to be my friend? Convince your foster brother that we aren’t so bad after all?”

Alder raised his axe. Its thick, polished handle sunk into his large palm. His menacing look spoke without words.

Nimos winked, an expression of mischief on his face. “No? Such a pity. For a moment there, you seemed like a smart one.”

Kyth shifted in the saddle. “Why don’t you leave us alone before someone gets hurt?”

The man chuckled, turning to his hooded companions as if inviting them to laugh with him. “So sweet of you to worry about your friends, Highness. But don’t worry. If you go with us, we won’t harm anyone.”

“Actually,” Kyth said. “It wasn’t my friends I was worried about.” He glanced at Kara, who moved her horse between Kyth and Nimos, forcing the man to shuffle back.

Nimos turned to Raishan. “How about it, Aghat? We’ll pay you handsomely to take the Prince off your hands.” At his signal one of his men held out a small but clearly heavy bag. It jingled as he took it and weighted it in his hands.

“You can also keep the gold the Prince is taking to the Majat Guild,” Nimos went on. “Three times the price of a Diamond, if I am not mistaken.” He glanced at Kyth’s saddlebags.

Kyth’s skin prickled.
How does he know?

“All I’m asking is that you and your charming companion” – Nimos winked at Kara – “continue on your way and leave the Prince to us.”

Raishan raised his sword, exchanging a quick glance with Kara.

“Clear the road,” Kara said. She urged her horse another step forward, forcing Nimos to edge away.

“I can double my offer, Aghat.”

“
Now.
”

“Or what?”

“Or,” Kara said distinctly, “I’ll take your head off.”

Nimos cast a slow, deliberate gaze over her.

“Don’t you want to draw your weapon to threaten me first?” He flicked his eyes to Raishan. “
He
did.”

“I don’t threaten,” Kara said. “Neither does he.”

“Ooh, what a pity. I heard Diamonds’ weapons are unique. I
so
much wanted to see yours!”

“You’ll see enough of it, if you don’t clear the road.”

Nimos gave her another appraising glance. “Is that a promise, Aghat?”

“It’s a fact.”

He hesitated, then signaled his men. Black hooded shadows slid out of sight, so quickly that they appeared to glide over the ground. In a moment the road was clear, the black figures nowhere in sight. Only the retreating sound of rustling in the roadside bushes indicated their recent presence.

“We’ll meet again,” Nimos told Kara. “I am sure of it.”

“I’m not.”

The black-eyed man sighed. “You sadden me, lady. I’d never forgive myself if I failed to meet you again. Something tells me we’ll know each other really well. Perhaps even travel together?”

“I don’t think so.”

Nimos swept a glance around their group and it seemed to Kyth as if a cold wind passed through.

“It’s been a pleasure,” Nimos said. “Until next time.”

He turned and disappeared into the hazel thicket. Leaves rustled in his wake. Then everything became quiet.

Kyth slowly woke from his trance as he watched Kara and Raishan relax in their saddles.

“What do you make of this, Aghat Raishan?” Kara asked.

Raishan shrugged. “No idea. I thought they were going to attack.”

“It seems to me they knew what they were up against.” Egey Bashi glanced at the two Diamonds.

“They looked very similar to those men who attacked us in the castle courtyard, Kyth,” Alder said.

“Yes,” Kyth agreed. “And this Nimos reminded me of Kaddim Tolos, too.”

“In what way?” Egey Bashi asked.

“Something about his power.”

“
Power?
”

Kyth hesitated. “There was something about him… As if he was about to use magic, but changed his mind. Or maybe, he knew it wouldn’t work?” He glanced at Kara.

Egey Bashi shook his head, but kept his silence.

They started up the road again at a fast trot, keeping a tight formation. Thinking back to the strange encounter, Kyth shivered as he thought of the way the man, Nimos, looked at Kara. As if he knew everything about her. As if he was sure he was able to defeat her. He seemed so
confident
.

Ellah hated side saddles but her elaborate travel dress, befitting a maid to the Lady Eyandala Ellidorm, made it unthinkable to ride the normal way. She envied the King, a natural on horseback, as if he was born in the saddle.

King Evan had been right about his disguise. Dusty road clothes and a plain brown cloak indeed made him look like a common servant. A hood hid the long black hair of a Westland royal and threw a deep shadow that concealed the paleness of his skin. Only his piercing blue eyes still stood out, but it took a very close look to notice.

The Majat looked even more impressive. All five of them rode horses with an ease that made any other form of travel seem like a chore. As for Mai, he looked absolutely breathtaking riding his black stallion. No man had the right to be that handsome, the way his soft blond curls rested against his muscular neck, the way his dashing black outfit accented his white skin, making it seem smooth like silk. His relaxed pose in the saddle, with one hand on the reins and the cloak thrown back over one shoulder, was so graceful it was painful. Every glance in his direction made Ellah feel clumsier, sitting on the horse sideways, holding on for dear life to keep up with the slow trot of the others.

They rode in a tight formation, with Mai and King Evan in the lead, followed by Mother Keeper, Ellah, and Odara Sul, and the four Ruby Majat bringing up the rear. Despite their relaxed poses, Ellah could sense their alertness, eyes darting in response to every move around the King and his suite.

In addition to the usual guard station, the city gate was manned by four Holy Knights who sat on their mounts peering into the faces of the passers-by. They gazed with disinterest at the King, who rode through with lowered eyes, and followed Mai and Mother Keeper, the two people in the group whose confident postures suggested they were in charge. Ellah’s heart raced as she made her way past the armored figures, but no one made a move to stop them.

After the gate the road became wider, enabling their party to ride close together.

“It seems, Your Majesty,” Mai said after the city gate disappeared from view behind a road bend, “that if you really want to go unnoticed we should keep off the main road.”

“I thought we were past the danger, Aghat. They didn’t recognize me, did they?”

“Still.” Mai appeared calm, but Ellah heard an edge in his voice. “I didn’t like the Holy Knights at that gate. They looked far too alert. Something’s not right.”

The king raised his face into the breeze, inhaling the fresh smells of ivy buds and apple orchards. “Aren’t you worrying too much, Aghat?”

Mai kept his eyes on the road. “It’s my job to worry, Your Majesty.”

“Aghat Mai has a point, Your Majesty,” Mother Keeper put in. “If we travel back roads, we run less risk of being recognized.”

Evan shrugged, then nodded. “I suppose you’re right.”

“If I remember the maps,” Mai said, “there should be a trail coming up soon. It bears east, and will take us to Illitand Hall faster than the main road.”

A distant smile creased Evan’s lips. “It’s a rather small one, if I remember correctly. The Duke of Illitand and I used to take it on our hunting trips, years ago. But,” he turned to Mother Keeper, “taking this trail would mean no inns to stay at. We’d have to camp.”

“The Keepers are used to camping, Your Majesty,” Mother Keeper assured him. “We’ll be just fine.”

Ellah bit her tongue. She was used to camping too, but not in her ridiculous outfit, designed for court outings rather than traveling in the wilderness. She thought of her own comfortable clothes stowed in her pack, and vowed to change on their very first stop.

“If I remember correctly, Your Majesty, ” Mother Keeper said. “There’s a river out east, running through a deep canyon before it reaches the lake. Would we be able to cross it if we take that path?”

“There’s a bridge,” Evan told her. “I’m told the locals keep it in good order.”

“Very well. How far ahead is this trail?”

“Not far enough,” Mai said.

“What do you mean, Aghat?”

Mai pointed.

A patrol of a dozen Holy Knights had just appeared from around a road bend ahead. Their mounts were lizardbeasts, the glint of their scaly hides accenting the glow of the knights’ polished armor. The black-and-red banner flying over the group bore the sign of the Holy Star.

“I swear,” Evan said quietly, “the roads of our kingdom are creeping with holy vermin. There’s no place for peaceful travelers to ride by anymore.”

Mai’s lowered hand flicked a complex sign. The Rubies responded, straightening up in their saddles and riding to the outside of the formation to surround the group in a protective ring.

As the knights approached, the one in front lifted the visor of his helmet. His pale eyes gleamed in the setting of his reddish suntan.

“Identify yourselves.”

Ellah’s skin prickled. Something was wrong, she just couldn’t quite catch what it was.

Mother Keeper straightened in the saddle. “I’m Lady Eyandala Ellidorm,” she said haughtily.

“And these?”

“
These
are my suite. How dare you stop us!”

“We’re under orders,” the knight said. “To look for travelers in disguise.”

He is lying
, Ellah realized with a chill.
He’s not what he says he is
. She glanced around desperately, trying to think of a way to relay this to Mother Keeper, but the older woman wasn’t looking at her. Ellah looked toward Odara Sul, but couldn’t catch her gaze either. She couldn’t risk turning around further.

She took a deep breath. “Whose orders are you following?” she asked the knight.

All heads turned her way. Mother Keeper’s look of surprise turned to suspicion as she held Ellah’s gaze. Ellah gave her a barely perceptible nod, but the exchange didn’t escape the knight.

“For a noble lady’s servant,” he said, “you are much too ignorant.”

Ellah turned to Mai. “They’re lying to us! They’re not who they say they are!”

Mai nodded. “Get behind me. Now!” He threw off his cloak, his horse prancing into the way of the advancing knights. His lowered hand flicked three fingers, then one. Three of the Rubies moved forward to form a line behind him, shielding the rest of the group. The fourth one stayed at the back, beside the King.

The knight at the front pulled his lizardbeast to a stop and measured Mai with a mocking glance.

“Stay out of the way, boy,” he said. “We wouldn’t want to spoil your pretty face, now would we?”

Mai smiled. “Tell your men to back down before anyone gets hurt.”

The knight’s laughter echoed hollowly inside the iron helmet. He lowered the visor and signaled to his men.

Five knights at the front rushed at Mai, aiming their short spears. The Majat leaned out of the way. His horse steered aside and leapt past, into the depth of the attackers’ line. In a moment he was surrounded by knights lashing at him from all sides. He slid through their midst like black lightning, leaning one way or the other, seemingly within reach but always avoiding contact. His horse danced between the lizardbeasts, sidestepping the attackers, circling around them as Mai threw his weight left and right to dodge the blows. Without drawing his weapon, he rode through the gauntlet and came out on the other side unscratched.

“What’s he
doing
?” Odara Sul gasped by Ellah’s side. “He’s not going to
fight
?”

Mai stopped his horse a little way up the road and turned, facing his attackers. Some of them were reining in their lizardbeasts to chase him, others turned around to face the line of the three Rubies standing their ground. They looked furious.

“Now we’re
really
in trouble,” Odara Sul whispered. “They–”

She paused as the leading knight swayed in the saddle. He hovered, grasping the air with his hands, and crashed onto the road. The one on his left followed, armor clanking like a blacksmith’s scrap pile. A beast further off flipped onto its back, weighted down by its owner desperately clinging to its long neck for support.

“Blessed Shal Addim!” Odara Sul gasped. “He cut the straps of all their saddles!”

All around them the knights were collapsing. The road became a chaos of kicking and rearing lizards, crawling men, and heaps of metal armor tangled in leather harnesses. Some lay still, others made awkward attempts to get up, struggling against the heavy armor. A lizardbeast ran past, its harness flapping loose. Another beast made an attempt to escape and was pulled down again, landing legs-up in a heap of groveling shapes.

Mai maneuvered his horse around the fallen enemies back toward their group. A dagger glinted in his hand. With a quick movement he tucked it into his boot. Then he swung down from the saddle to pick up his cloak from the roadside.

“I suggest we get out of here quickly,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to be around when they recover.”

They took off at a gallop and soon left the group of knights far behind. Glancing over her shoulder, Ellah could see metal gleaming in the sun as the fallen men struggled to get up and regain control of their lizardbeasts. They were clear for the time-being.

After a while Mai followed Evan’s pointing finger off the road onto a side trail, so small that they had to slow to a trot and ride single file. Two Rubies fell behind. The rest of them continued, eventually slowing down to a walk.

They rode until sunset and camped by a large ivy grove next to a brook. Ellah was so tired that she could barely sit straight. She slid off the horse, steadying herself against its steaming side and thinking of how much this was going to hurt tomorrow.

Mother Keeper, Odara Sul, and the King didn’t look much better. Only the Majat were as fresh as ever. Before Ellah could even unstrap her saddle bags, one of the Rubies collected wood for the fire and the other went to the brook with a small kettle. Mai disappeared into the bushes on one end of the glade and soon reappeared on the other side. He nodded to the Rubies, then settled by the fire, using his boot dagger to cut the supports for the kettle from the prepared wood pile.

Ellah wanted to participate in cooking, but soon found that she was no match for Odara Sul. The Keeper’s deft hands seemed to be everywhere at once as she peeled, chopped and stirred, adding pinches of substances from small boxes and pouches packed into her travel bag. Even the Majat looked at her in awe as she moved around the fire, in control of the ingredients that appeared in her hands as if by magic before making their way into the pot. The result was a meat stew so juicy and rich with flavor that it seemed like the best meal Ellah ever had. She scraped her bowl clean with a piece of bread and sat back sipping tea and enjoying the warmth spreading over her tired limbs.

Somewhere during the meal the two missing Rubies appeared from the direction of the road and took their places beside the fire. Odara Sul handed each of them a steaming bowl, but before starting their meal they exchanged glances with Mai. Only after receiving his nod of approval did they direct attention to the food, which they wolfed down in no time.

Ellah took it upon herself to clean up. She collected the bowls and spoons into the empty pot and made her way down to the brook. Pulling out a patch of tall grass she rolled it up into the likeness of a washing sponge, using sand and mud on the bank to scrape off the grease.

Halfway through her washing, she turned her head searching for a fresh patch of grass, and jumped.

Mai was standing behind her, only a few paces away. She had no idea when or how he got there. She scrambled up to her feet, shaking the unruly strands of hair out of her eyes and trying to keep her greasy hands out of sight.

“How long have you been standing here?” she demanded.

He didn’t respond. In the gathering dusk his eyes were in shadow and his hair glimmered like gold against his pale skin.

“How did you know they weren’t the Holy Knights?” he asked.

Ellah was taken aback. She didn’t expect this. Should she tell him about her gift – if indeed she had one? She wasn’t sure what to say at all. It was so hard to think with him looking at her like this. She was beginning to feel hot and was grateful for the dusk that hid the color of her face.

“I just – it seemed to me that they were lying,” she said.

“It didn’t just ‘seem’, did it?” he insisted. “You wouldn’t have risked everything if you weren’t sure.”

Ellah lifted her chin. She didn’t like it when people thought they could read her.

“How do you know I wouldn’t have?” she challenged.

He stepped closer, looking into her face. From this distance she was no longer sure she could hide her blush. She wanted to back away, but there was nowhere to go. Behind her, there was only water.

His eyes were still in shadow, but she could feel the intensity of his gaze.

“Call it a hunch,” he said.

He was so close now that she could smell his skin – a faint fresh scent of spring water with a touch of pine. The blush rolled down her neck. Her heart pounded, making it hard to think.

“All right,” she admitted. “I knew.”

“How?”

She forced herself not to blink. Her helplessness against his closeness made her angry. She gathered all her remaining wits and took a deep breath.

“Call it a hunch,” she said.

He held her gaze for a moment longer. Then he turned and slid off into the darkness in the direction of the camp.

When Ellah finally made her way back with a pile of clean dishes in her arms, Odara Sul was waiting.

“You took a while.”

Ellah didn’t respond. Her gaze drifted toward the fire, where Evan and the Majat were sitting, deep in conversation. Mai had his back to her, his eyes fixed on the shadows.

“Mother Keeper is waiting,” Odara said.

“For what?”

“To begin your training. Come.”

Intrigued, Ellah followed Odara to the side of the camp. Mother Keeper was sitting on the corner of a blanket, her back straight, legs crossed with the knees flat on the ground, in a pose that Ellah was sure she could never manage.

“Come, sit,” Mother Keeper beckoned.

Ellah approached and lowered onto the opposite corner of the blanket. “I can’t sit like you.”

Mother Keeper smiled. “Just make yourself comfortable.”

Ellah relaxed, trying to find a comfortable position on the blanket. After a day’s ride it wasn’t an easy task. She glanced toward the center of the camp. She knew she shouldn’t be visible to the people sitting in the bright circle of the fire, but she could swear Mai, from the far side of it, was looking her way.