Noble Falling (20 page)

“I never did hear your name in the past. Kahira, is it?” Zoriah traced the scar etched into Kahira’s dark olive skin, but was only met with a piercing glare. “I had heard rumors of that fool Moray allowing a vanjiv to escape. They say you killed his daughter. But there are whispers that it was more complicated than that, wasn’t it?”

Kahira’s jaw was clenched, her head turned away from the Dakmoran princess as a pale finger traced the curve of her face.

“Kahira has nothing to do with this.” The tone of my voice commanded Zoriah’s attention toward me.

The princess stood, joining Tallak and my former captain of the guard.

None of them made any effort to stop Kahira as she moved closer to me.

“Dalric, it’s a shame your soldier didn’t know more about these two. I believe history has repeated itself.” Zoriah flashed her teeth in Kahira’s direction, “Was one noblewoman not enough for you, vanjiv?”

Kahira spat a word I did not recognize. The meaning was clear to Zoriah, however, and Kahira was left with a hand print against her cheek.

What soldier?

Seeing the confused look on my face, Dalric laughed heartily.

“Ori was more than willing to tell us what we wanted to know when we found him in Ariwa. The promise of killing his family unless he talked sent your secrets flying from his lips.” The way Dalric spoke was as if he were a completely different person than the man who had once served my father. “Aleana, you should never underestimate the power of threatening a man’s family. That, and breaking a few ribs. I’m afraid those will hinder his journey home.”

“No….” As much as I wanted Dalric’s words to be a lie, I thought about Ori’s behavior when he returned that morning from the city. His silence, how he could barely move without the pain flashing across his face, it all fit too well with Dalric’s story.

“I must say, your loyalty is quite impressive. It’s quite a shame you were in the way of my own plans.” Tallak smiled to Zoriah as he snaked an arm around her waist. “My father was too shortsighted in his planning of my marriage—he was too blinded by your father’s prestige. You see, Halvaria and Dakmor don’t have to be enemies, at least not now that I plan to marry Zoriah.”

I felt crushed, and I knew the only thing keeping me from completely breaking was the pressure of Kahira’s body now leaning against mine as we sat in the middle of the room.

“Tallak and I have bigger plans for our lands. You were the only obstacle. Thankfully, Dalric sees the benefit in aligning himself with us. Unlike your father, we won’t leave his actions unrewarded.” Zoriah seemed more wolfish with each word she spoke. “It was almost too perfect that you were the one promised to Tallak. It barely took any imagination to create the tale. A woman from a bloodthirsty family, nestled in the land’s most formidable castle, seeking more than she could gain, only for her rebellion to be quickly crushed by a joint effort from Dakmor and Halvaria.”

Everything I had done was for nothing.

“Why not kill me last night, then?” I was too angry for any more tears.

Tallak smiled viciously. “When we learned you escaped, our plans changed. Our people will need a reminder as to why Halvaria and Dakmor are better off united. You give us that. You now represent the threat to both Dakmorans and Halvarians. Your family’s—or at least your father’s—name is infamous for military strength, and before Zoriah and I wed, you will be paraded through the streets to show what the new king and queen can defeat together.”

Kahira’s voice was even when she finally spoke. “And when is it you plan on killing me?”

Tallak’s response matched Kahira’s tone.

“You’ll hang from the gallows at dusk.”

Kahira flinched slightly as Tallak nodded to Dalric, signaling him to take Kahira to the dungeons. The massive man hauled Kahira to her feet as my shout rang out in the quiet room.

“No!” I fought against my own bindings as Tallak grabbed my elbow to force me to stand. “Let her live! Let her go and I’ll revoke my right of noble blood!”

I stood eye to eye with Kahira. She already looked so broken. Her face was swollen, covered in dried blood from the wound to her head. And yet, as distorted as her angular features were, every inch of her face showed disbelief.

“Aleana, you can’t.” My heart sank as I saw the tears forming in Kahira’s eyes.

I looked away, toward the man and woman who had taken everything from me, unable to bear the emotion on Kahira’s face.

“Tallak, you can still get what you want from me, but when you’re done, I’ll deny my nobility. Use my death to prove the permanence of your new power with Zoriah.”

The Halvarian king chuckled deeply. “It really is a shame you’re going to die. You might have actually made a good queen.”

Kahira struggled against Dalric’s grasp.

“No, Aleana—”

Tallak interrupted Kahira’s objections. “Dalric, get her out of here. Throw her somewhere outside the walls. Just make sure she’s alive when you do it.”

“As you wish, Your Majesty.”

The wicked grin Dalric flashed toward me promised that although Kahira would live, it would be painful. I held back my tears, telling myself she would at least be able to keep her life. Kahira was obviously going to put up a fight, as if I would have expected anything else. Eventually Dalric was able to get a good enough hold on her to force her from the room.

“As for you, Aleana”—Tallak’s voice rang out clear, despite Kahira’s shouts of protest—“I believe a room overlooking the gallows will be most suitable.”

I remained silent, my eyes locking with Kahira’s one last time before the door slammed and she was gone.

T
HE
door opened slightly to allow my morning meal to be placed on the floor. The services to my room ran like clockwork. Breakfast came several hours after the sun was up, delayed just enough so that my stomach was growling by the time it arrived. Lunch would come four hours later, and I would eat my dinner at dusk. A single word was never spoken, and I no longer sought compassion in the eyes of the servants. My death meant nothing to them.

Looking at the plate containing my breakfast, I thought to myself how disgusting I would have found—how disgusting I did find—the oatmeal several weeks prior. At least I was thankful to be given a room with all the amenities expected in a palace, instead of being thrown in the dungeon. Eating slowly, I settled into the routine I had created over the two days since I had been imprisoned. It wasn’t much, but eating only to spend the rest of the day sitting at the window allowed me to watch the citizens of Seyna run to and from each of their duties. The large gallows stationed below my window served as a reminder that the people I studied would never be my subjects. I would never be their queen.

I was going to die. Two days had given me time to accept such a finality. Everything I had ever dreamed of was gone, and I no longer cared that my death would bring my betrayers satisfaction. My life for Kahira’s. Even my life for Ori’s. Yes, I could accept my death.

Lost within a numbness that settles over you once you understand life is no longer yours, it was dusk before I knew it. I had a day to live. One last day, and it would be spent in the very room that had held me captive since I entered Seyna. As if to remind me exactly how much time remained in my life, I heard a noise outside my door signaling the arrival of my dinner. As usual, it was right on time.

I turned from the window when I didn’t hear the door close. The numbness that had controlled my body vanished, and tears pooled at the corners of my eyes.

“No, no, you can’t….” After almost three days of silence, my own voice grated against my ears.

“I wasn’t going to leave you.” Kahira crossed the room quickly, pulling me from the window sill and into her arms.

I buried my face into her neck when her arms wrapped around me, my tears falling freely as I tried to decide whether or not to be angry with her for once again risking her life. I’d never forgive myself if they killed her too. “Why are you here? You’ll get yourself killed!”

She stepped back and our eyes briefly connected before she pressed our lips together.

“Aleana, I couldn’t leave you.”

I pulled her body back to mine.

“I was a fool, Kahira. I should have known….”

Her still bruised cheek gently rested against my head. “No, you had no way of knowing Tallak had betrayed you.”

“He didn’t just betray me.” I felt the anger building within, drying the tears from my eyes. “He betrayed our people!”

“Aleana, don’t give up yet. We need to get you out of here. It won’t take long before someone realizes you’re gone. The stables are near one of the servants’ exits. I cleared the way as I came in, but we need to move.”

I pulled away from her and nodded. “They’ll close the city gates as soon as Tallak and Zoriah find out I’m missing. Even then, we’ll be followed.”

“Let’s worry about you getting out of here first.”

Her fingers slid between mine as she pulled me toward the hallway. Stepping over the two unconscious guards who had been stationed outside my door, it was as if something within me awoke. While I had thought it was impossible, I felt a small flicker of hope course through me.

Kahira pulled a blade from one of the soldiers, fastening the scabbard around her waist. I released her hand, unwilling to interfere with her movement. As we silently crept through the halls, my hand floated to her back. She looked over her shoulder at me and flashed a smile. Seeing that, and feeling the warmth of her body against my palm, the spark of hope I felt earlier ignited.

Miraculously, we made it out of the palace without incident, but our luck quickly ran out when we reached the stables. It was clear there was no way to avoid the single stable hand present. Hesitating only for an instant, Kahira charged the man. Hearing her approach, he quickly turned, only to be met with Kahira’s fist, crumpling to the ground before he could utter a single cry for help.

Storing his body in one of the stalls, Kahira tucked two gold coins into the man’s pocket. Seeing my confused expression, she shrugged slightly.

“He wasn’t the first I have had to attack since we were captured.”

The way she spoke told me he was the first victim she actually felt remorse for.

Forgetting the unconscious man, Kahira tore through the stables, searching for the last remnant of her previous life—Taewin. I followed her as quickly as I could, already trying to find a suitable way to comfort her if the horse was nowhere to be found. The happy cry that filled my ears told me I wouldn’t have to worry. Taewin was there. When I finally caught up with her, I found Kahira’s arms wrapped around her horse’s neck, and even with the amount of danger we were in, I couldn’t help but smile. Kahira had already lost so much in her life, and it was clear Kahira had feared she had lost Taewin as well as Enza.

I began to ready the gray mare next to Taewin’s stall, and the noise must have refocused Kahira, for she was soon hauling Taewin’s saddle onto his back.

The first cry of alarm was heard from the castle as Kahira and I climbed onto our horses.

“Ready?” The question fell heavily from my lips, meaning so much more than I intended.

She smirked as she nodded, spurring Taewin forward. My horse followed quickly, racing through the streets as we made our way to Seyna’s northern gate. The excitement pulsing through my veins drowned out the panic I subconsciously knew I should be feeling. It was only when the gate came into view that my confidence faltered. Ahead, a line of soldiers blocked the city’s exit as a few men struggled to close the gates. I never slowed my horse as I shouted.

“Kahira?”

As if she only looked back to make sure I still followed her, Kahira kicked her heels into Taewin again, somehow urging the horse to go even faster. I followed suit, knowing I would rather be speared by one of the soldiers than give up when I was so close to escape. When Kahira reached the wall of soldiers, the only sound I heard was the yelp of a man as he dove out of the way. With the way cleared, Kahira and I crashed through the gates, hearing the shouts of men behind us as they scrambled to follow our trail.

We managed to put an impressive amount of distance between us and the city before Kahira and I saw the soldiers riding out of the very gate we had escaped from. Now riding at Kahira’s side, I noticed Kahira had seen the men as well.

“If we can get to the river, we might be able to lose them.” I barely heard Kahira over the thunderous sound of our horses’ hooves. “And if we can’t, well….”

I didn’t miss the worried look that flashed through Kahira’s eyes as she examined the blade at her hip. Glancing over my shoulder again, I watched as the five men riding toward us left a cloud of dust in their wake. I shook my head and was thankful to see the trees lining the riverbank in the distance, knowing there was nothing I could say to the woman beside me.

By the time I could see the smooth surface of the shallow Halvar River, it was clear our pursuers were gaining on us. Our horses were tiring, and when the cool water of the river splashed against my skin as we rode into it, I knew a fight was inevitable. The excited shouts I heard told me the men following us had realized it as well.