Sacrifice: The Queen's Blade (12 page)

Chiana groaned, "Oh, God, you are bleeding."

Blade struggled to sit up, his chest heaving. Tremors shook him in spasms as he looked around, clearly puzzled. "What happened? I must have... passed out."

"You won. They have gone, but you are hurt."

He pressed a shaking hand to his ribs. "My lung..."

"You have opened the wound again." She scanned the dwindling crowd, and relief washed through her as she spotted Lirek hurrying towards them. He clattered up the steps onto the stage and knelt beside Blade.

"What's happened, my lady?"

"There is no time to explain. Go and find a horse, we must get Lord Conash back to the palace at once."

"Right." Lirek ran off, leaving them alone once more.

Blade coughed again, wiped the blood from his lips and studied it. A slight, rueful smile twisted his mouth, and the sadness of his expression tore Chiana's heart. "I guess my dancing days are done."

"At least you are still alive. You might have died."

He shrugged. "No great loss."

"You should have refused."

"Then they would have burnt off my tattoo. I would have been disgraced."

"Is that all you care about, your pride?"

He shot her a hard glance. "What else do I have?"

Chiana bit back the hot words that leapt onto her tongue, longing to tell him that he had a wife who loved him with every ounce of her being, a friend in Jayon who would lay down his life for him and a queen who idolised him, to say nothing of a king who respected him immensely. "You are a legend, Blade. You changed history when you slew the Cotti King and one of their princes. No one else could have achieved that feat, and many tried. You cannot hold your life so cheap."

He grimaced, glancing at the crowds that wandered past. "I'm no hero, nor will you convince me that I am. I, at least, have no illusions about that."

Blade tried to rise to his feet, but sank down again with a curse. The effort made him gasp and cough afresh, and bright blood flecked his lips.

"Sit still," Chiana admonished. "Lirek is bringing a horse for you, then we will take you back to the palace."

He rubbed his ribs. "I seem to have little choice."

Lirek returned with a hired horse and Jayon, whom he had found outside a taproom. Blade required their aid to quit the stage, and they helped him onto the beast. The young commander demanded to know what had happened, and Chiana explained on the way to the palace. Blade closed his eyes, his face lined with exhaustion, and she watched with deep concern as he clung to the saddle. Jayon swore to find the guilty parties and exact vengeance, at which point Blade roused sufficiently to tell him to mind his own business, which silenced the commander's growls of outrage.

At the palace, the men half carried Blade to his bed, where he slumped against the pillows, breathing in a painful wheeze. Jayon summoned Verdan, who examined Blade with a grave expression, shaking his head when he turned to Chiana.

"Lord Conash has torn open the wound in his lung again, filling it with blood. That is why he is short of breath. He must remain sitting up, so the blood does not fill his other lung, or he will drown."

Chiana nodded. "But he will recover?"

Verdan shrugged, his expression disapproving. "In time I daresay he will, but now that lung will be even weaker than before. Lord Conash should have avoided such strenuous activity in the first place. It was extremely ill advised. I trust he will not make the same mistake again."

"What can you do for him?"

"Nothing. All he needs is complete rest. He should not rise from his bed for two, maybe three tendays. If he develops a fever, I can treat it, but I can do nothing for him now."

Blade said, "I'm not lying about for half a moon phase."

Chiana turned to frown at him. "You will, even if I have to tie you to the bed."

"I'll help," Jayon volunteered.

Blade shot him a frigid glance. "I'd like to see you try, once I have some strength back."

Jayon chuckled. "That should be interesting."

"No strenuous exercise," Verdan ordered, "and that includes fighting."

"It won't be a fight," Blade muttered, looking away.

Chiana smiled and bit her lip, her eyes stinging. Jayon coughed and turned away, clearly discomfited by her distress. Verdan shot the assassin a martyred look and left to attend his other duties, followed by Lirek. Chiana glanced at the hovering Arken and quit the room before her tears overflowed. In the corridor, she wiped her eyes, looking embarrassed when Jayon joined her, and he cast her a sympathetic grimace.

"I know how you feel, my lady. Don't weep."

His empathy brought more tears, and she pulled out a handkerchief. "It is all he has, his infernal pride."

"I know."

"You should have seen him, Jayon."

"I wish I had."

She dabbed her eyes and forced a weak smile. "The Queen will be furious, but not with him. Not really. And it is not just because she needs him, as he thinks. She loves him."

"As we do."

"Yes."

"Although I can't for the life of me think why we care so much for such a cold, unfeeling bastard." He rubbed his chin. "It's odd. When I found him in the desert, I felt compelled to save him."

"He is special. I think he is destined for greatness." She hesitated, glancing at him. "But that is not why I love him."

The young commander smiled, brushing back the truant lock of hair that flopped over one eye. "Me either."

A terrific crash came from Blade's room, followed by his voice bellowing insults at Arken. Moments later the red-faced servant emerged and slammed the door behind him. He spied Chiana and Jayon and came over to them.

"He wants a damned bath! I told him he can't have one, he's too sick." Arken folded his arms to show the finality of his decision.

Jayon smiled, then put out a hand to stop Chiana as she headed for Blade's door. "No, leave him to me, my lady. He will only shout at you, and you don't deserve that."

"He is my husband, I have to deal with him."

"Not when he's ill."

Arken nodded. "He's definitely ill, he has the temper to prove it."

Jayon cast Chiana a reassuring smile. "I will deal with him."

Chiana sighed and walked off. Arken rolled his eyes and marched away in the opposite direction, leaving Jayon to enter the lion's den alone. He found the assassin seated on the edge of the bed, removing his boots. Blade glanced up at him with a frown.

"Where's that fool, Arken?"

Jayon shrugged. "I think he went to tend to his other duties."

"I told him to fill me a bath!"

"I know. He feels that you're too ill to risk a chill."

Blade snorted. "What does he know?"

"The healer told him this."

"And he knows even less! I'll wash even if I have to carry the damned water myself."

Jayon shook his head. "That won't be necessary, I'll fetch the water for you."

Blade glowered at him. "Good."

A knock on the door made Blade glance around and call out for the applicant to enter. A mud-splattered messenger came in and bowed.

"Lord Conash. I bring a message from your estate to the north."

"What is it?"

The messenger glanced at Jayon, his expression grim. "It is fallen, My Lord, as have all the lands to the north."

Blade looked away, and Jayon paid the man, who bowed again and left. Jayon studied the assassin's downcast features.

"Is something wrong?"

Blade scowled. "No. It was to be expected."

"Was there someone you cared about...?"

The assassin looked up. "No. I care about no one, boy. Don't ever forget that."

"How could I? You just seemed... unhappy for a moment, but I expect that's because you've lost your recently acquired wealth and lands. All your hard work for nothing. It must be galling."

Blade stood up, dropping the boot he held, and glared up at the younger man, unconcerned by the fact that Jayon was taller than him. "Are you going to fetch the water or not, boy?"

"Of course." Jayon swung away and quit the room.

Chapter Six

The next morning, Chiana entered the Queen's chambers to find them bustling with activity. A bevy of handmaidens attended the monarch, who sat before a massive mirror. They stroked her skin with scented mirwood oil, dressed her hair in elaborate coils and twined jewels and golden pins amongst its shining tresses. Minna-Satu glowed with happiness, though shadows of fatigue lurked under her eyes. The sheath of golden chain mail, which she wore over a midnight-blue gown, disguised her thickened waistline. Minna looked up and smiled as Chiana bowed.

"Are you well, My Queen?"

"Very well, Chiana. A little tired perhaps, but well pleased with myself."

"I have heard that the Princess is beautiful."

Minna's smile softened, and her eyes sought the gilded, silk-hung cot that stood beside the bed. "She is, see for yourself."

Chiana gazed down at the infant who lay on the white satin, her rosebud lips pursed. Dark lashes fanned pink cheeks, and hands of incredible delicacy were tucked under her chin. Chiana smiled as a deep sadness filled her chest, making it tight and painful. Minna rose and joined her beside the cradle.

"Do not mourn the children you will never have. She will be yours soon enough, love her as if she was your own."

Chiana bit her lip and nodded. "I shall, My Queen, I swear it."

"There is no need for swearing. I know you will."

"What is her name?"

Minna smiled at her daughter, her eyes aglow with love. "Kerra-Manu, of course."

"Kerra," Chiana murmured, stroking the infant's petal-soft cheek. "Her hair is white."

Minna turned away, her manner becoming brisk. "At noon I shall hold an audience. The senior lords and advisors will wish to view their future Queen. It cannot be avoided, but her parentage will be obvious. I can hide it no longer."

"With the Contara advancing so swiftly and the Cotti invading from the desert, perhaps the lords will see that she is our only salvation," Chiana remarked. "If you tell them your plans now, they must see the merit in them. They must see that this is the only way to save the Jashimari from slavery and decimation."

"Perhaps. But many of them are proud fools. They will only see that she is Kerrion's daughter, and he is our enemy."

"Then they are blind, My Queen."

Minna glanced at the slumbering sand cat who sprawled, as usual, in a patch of sunlight. "Many of them are. Send for Lord Conash, I would have him at my side. His presence will serve as a warning to dissenters."

Chiana gulped and looked down, aware of the guilt on her face.

Minna studied her with a frown. "What is it? Do not tell me that he is not in the palace. He knows better than to incur my wrath thus."

"No, he is in the palace, My Queen, but he is... ill."

"Ill? What is the matter with him now?"

"He went into the city, and a group of assassins forced him to perform the Dance of Death... he could not refuse..."

Minna's expression became concerned. "What happened? Did they harm him?"

"No, but the strain was too much. He has reopened his wound. The healer has ordered him to stay in bed for three tendays."

"Three tendays!" Minna frowned again. "This is intolerable. I need him now. As soon as it is known that Kerrion is my child's father, they will plot to murder her."

"Surely not, My Queen, she is their Princess."

"She is half Cotti. The only way they can force me to bear another child is to kill her."

"But Blade is not a watchdog or bodyguard."

"I have no need of a bodyguard. My spies will inform me of the plotters. I will require an assassin."

Chiana bowed her head. "It was not his fault."

"What was he doing in the city? Where was his bodyguard?"

"I asked him to accompany me to the fair yesterday. Lirek was with us, but he was overpowered."

Minna looked astounded, her voice rising an octave. "You asked him to accompany you to the fair? Have you lost your wits? You know that his life is at risk. It is bad enough that he must go into the city from time to time when he wishes to drink in some dirty inn or taproom, but you should know better."

"It was foolish of me, and utterly my fault. I wished to celebrate the Princess' birth."

"Then you should have waited for the ball in five days' time, like all the other nobles."

Chiana glanced at the Queen in surprise. "I thought, with the war so close now..."

"You thought I would not celebrate my daughter's birth?" Minna raised her chin. "Even if they were beating at the gate, this celebration will take place." She swung away in a swirl of heavy skirts. "I will see Blade now."

Chiana hastened after the Queen as she swept from the room, praying that Blade would be in a better mood than he had when she had last seen him. The guards outside the doors snapped to attention as Minna strode past, and her maidens dashed ahead to open doors and shoo servants from her path. Chiana dreaded what might happen if both of them were in foul tempers at the same time. Sparks would fly.

Minna's attendants thrust open the door to the assassin's chambers, and she entered without slackening her pace. Blade sat on the bed, pulling on a boot, and looked surprised and annoyed at the intrusion. He stood and bowed.

"My Queen."

Minna stopped before him. "I hear that you have injured yourself yet again."

"I did not exactly do it to myself."

"You do not look so very ill."

"I am well enough."

Chiana stepped closer, frowning at him. "The healer ordered you to stay in bed for three tendays."

Blade shrugged. "Let him try to make me."

Minna's eyes narrowed, and she impaled him with a steely glance that would have made a lesser man quiver. "Are you well enough to stand beside me today?"

"I am."

"Good. Are you well enough to perform an assassination?"

He hesitated. "I fear not, My Queen. Perhaps in a few days."

"A few days?" Chiana's voice rose in outrage.

Minna raised an imperious hand. "Enough, Chiana, Lord Conash can judge his own health, I am sure." She studied the assassin with hard eyes. "Your presence is required in the great hall at noon. See to it that you are properly attired."