The King's Daughters (33 page)

Too late. The sword plunged deep into Diego's back.

"NOOO!" I shouted, moving toward my friend. A blond disciple stepped in front of me, hindering my sight of Diego and forcing me to concentrate on fighting. I parried, blocked, and thrust, while climbing the steps in reverse.

A second disciple joined the fight. I recognized him as the one who had stabbed Diego in the back. Now that there were two against me their tactic changed. This wasn't a regular combat anymore, but a sacrificial one. Twice, one of the disciples tried to impale himself on my sword, so his acolyte could finish me while my blade was stuck. To parry this insane maneuver, I constantly had to thrust the side of my blade forward, using it as a barrier between me and them.

The fight drove us up the stairs, and soon I found myself on the tower's last landing with nowhere to go. When my back hit the stone wall, I knew this was going to be my last stand. Bracing myself, I faced my attackers. Just as I had feared, one of them threw himself on my blade the instant it was pointed outward.

Spitting blood and baring his teeth in a grimace of agony, he grabbed me by the shoulders, holding me still while his friend approached for the coup de grâce.

I tried pushing and kicking the disciple off me, but it was to no use. In his last moment, this man was determined to reach his goal. And there was nothing I could do to change it. Pinned between the wall and the dying man, I watched, helpless, as the last disciple raised his sword to my throat.

Just then I saw a bright metallic flash behind the disciple's head.

A loud
bong-crash
rang out in the air, followed by a shower of brass wheels, gears, and wood splinters. The disciple collapsed to the floor. Behind him stood Auguste Ramblais, the alchemist, with the empty wooden frame of his time-device clutched between his hands. He had smashed it on the disciple's head, knocking him out.

Auguste stared at the remains of his device and shrugged. "The damn thing kept terrible time anyway."

My attention returned to the dying man still holding on to me. He was blond, young, and as pretty as a girl. I stared straight into his deep blue eyes and said, "Your friend is dead. It's over—release me."

His eyes widened, and then the spark of life that had animated them slowly extinguished. I felt his grip on me loosening. The disciple slowly slipped to the floor.

The alchemist kneeled beside the disciple he had struck. "This one isn't dead. Stunned, that's all." He turned the young man over. "I know him . . . I recognize his face. He's one of the pretty countess's friends."

Auguste's good eye went to the other disciple. "That one too. Prince Amir, why were these noblemen attacking you?"

"There's no time for long explanations. The king is in danger and Prince Diego . . . Oh lord, Diego!" At the thought of my friend, a visceral fear for him, for his life, ripped through me. I dashed down the stairs at breakneck speed, taking two and often three steps at a time. When I reached the bottom of the stairwell, I looked around for Diego. I found him near the corridor's opening, lying on his side in a pool of blood, moaning. I hurried to him and kneeled down at his side.

He grabbed my wrist with a bloody hand. "Amir, my friend."

"Diego, don't speak. Keep your strength."

A joyless smile stretched Diego's lips. "Thank you for caring." Grinding his teeth, Diego reached out, took his sword, and placed it in my hand. "Give this to Milo—from me. I know he'll use it well."

"Diego, no. You're still alive. You're young and strong."

Movement at the foot of the stairs made me look up. Auguste was limping in our direction. He cast one look at Diego, then raised his good eye to me and shook his head.

"Prince Diego," he said, painfully crouching down.

"Shhh," Diego hushed. "I'm not in this world for long. Let me speak." Diego's hand became like a steel claw on my wrist. "Amir, I have a favor to ask of you . . . you owe me one."

"Please ask me anything you want."

"There's a small bronze box in my blue dresser. Can you make sure that my father gets it?" Diego smiled. "This is all I ask of you, my friend. Everything else I possess is now yours, Amir. All my treasures, my trinkets too . . . all my possessions are yours."

"I can't accept."

"Please, this is my will . . . my last will." Diego moaned. "Mmmm, now leave . . . Go warn the king before it's too late. But be careful, my friend . . . she'll be waiting for you."

"He's right," said Auguste. "Go. I'll stay with him. Finish what you began. Rid the castle of these people, whoever they are."

Nodding, I squeezed Diego's hand one last time. So little strength was left in his grip that I feared letting go of it. I feared leaving him. Most of all, I feared this was our last moment together. But I had to leave. Reluctantly, I let go of Diego's hand. To my chagrin, his hand fell limp upon the floor.

I was about to rise when the alchemist tugged on my kaftan. "Take these. They might come in handy," he said, shoving two fist-sized silver balls into my pocket.

"What are those?"

"A new invention of mine. Don't worry, they're easy to use. Light and throw, that's all. Now go."

I looked at Diego one last time.
I will miss you, my friend.
Then rising to my feet, I left.

I was running in the direction of the main corridor when the alchemist shouted at my back, "Light and throw. And don't forget to duck!"

I paid no mind to him or to his last instruction; my mind was too busy worrying about what awaited me ahead. A priestess . . . and possibly the god she worshiped. I knew how to fight people. But I didn't know how to fight a god—I had no idea how to do that at all. Worse, I wasn't even sure it could be done.

I ran all the way to the banquet hall. When I burst into the vast expanse of the hall, I knew this was going to be a delicate operation.

Decorated for the occasion, the hall was seeded with giant urns overflowing with huge bouquets of fragrant white flowers. Candelabras and chandeliers were lit throughout the room adding their glow to the flickering flames of the dozens of storm lamps dotting the walls like amber jewels. Already nobles and dignitaries from all over the Empire and beyond were gathered in tight groups everywhere. By the look of it, the hall was almost filled to capacity.

Raising myself on tiptoes to see above the crowd, I looked straight at the small dais at the front of the room where I thought Eva would be. The instant I set eyes on her I felt my stomach clenching. She was surrounded by four disciples of Samu. All smiles, the beautiful ladies conversed with my beloved in the friendliest of manners. But when they saw me, those warm friendly manners cooled down as shock invaded their eyes. Obviously, they didn't plan on my surviving their friends' ambush. Good, I thought, and looked for the countess. I found her a few steps to the left. She was hanging on to the king's arm with an air of ownership I didn't like.

Lord, I hope I'm not too late,
I thought as I marched across the crowded room.

Gasps of shock and shouts of horror punctuated my advance.

"He's all bloody!" exclaimed a nobleman.

The courtesan beside him fainted.

I stopped and looked down at myself. The front of my kaftan was covered in blood, the suicide disciple's blood but also Diego's. A searing rage burnt its way through me, like a lava flow after a volcano eruption. Glaring at the countess, I continued advancing. "Your Majesty," I shouted, drawing my rapier.

At once, people began yelling in fear around me. "Aaaah! He's armed! He's armed!"

Paying no mind to them, I soldiered on. "Your Majesty cannot marry this woman."

A nobleman stepped in front of me, hindering my progress. Without any hesitation, I kicked him in the groin, and when he doubled over, I unceremoniously pushed him aside. Approaching the dais, I stared at the king. The look on his face held more confusion than anger. However, I saw that he had nonetheless pulled out his ceremonial sword.

Pointing his weapon toward me, the king ordered, "Halt! Don't come any closer!"

"Your Majesty, this woman has deceived you. She's fooled everyone here. You cannot marry her."

"Amir, what are you doing?" lamented Eva. She tried to approach me, but the disciples of Samu held her back, saying that it was for her safety. Meanwhile a dozen guards had sneaked up behind me.

My time was now numbered; I needed to hurry. I stared at the countess. Unintimidated, she stared right back at me. I noted a sly smile curling her lips. The insolent woman was mocking me; it made my blood boil. "She's guilty, Your Majesty," I said.

"Guilty of what?" boomed the king.

"Of everything that has befouled you since she arrived at the castle, beginning with the queen's illness. It worsened upon her arrival."

"Nonsense! Guards arrest him!"

As the guards moved on me, I shouted, "Majesty, she's a priestess of Samu!"

Loud gasps rose from the assembly of nobles.

Perplexed, the king raised a hand. The guards halted their advance.

Pointing to the ladies encircling Eva, I continued, "These are her disciples. The men attacked Prince Diego and me a moment ago, and he's been mortally wounded. The countess also captured your daughters. The princesses are prisoners of her enchantments."

The king turned to the countess.

Ivana smiled humbly at him. "He's lying, Your Majesty. You know I cannot do any of this." Her voice sounded so innocent that I almost believed her myself. I cringed. I had better come up with some convincing argument soon, otherwise she would win.

"Your Majesty, please listen to me," I pleaded. "This woman came to the castle with the goal of marrying you, so she could have the old faith reinstated. But when the queen convinced you to marry Isabo instead, Ivana made sure that it wouldn't happen. She made everybody believe Isabo was a witch. Ivana is the one who called attention to Isabo's actions. She rang the alarm the morning Isabo was arrested."

"Why should this be of concern to me?" said the king. "The countess did well to denounce the foul woman."

"No, Your Majesty. Isabo was only trying to help your daughters, to protect them. She is innocent."

Taking a step forward, the king glared at me. "You've gone mad, young prince. Isabo was caught leading a beast out of the castle. She's a witch. To proclaim the countess guilty of these crimes is blasphemy. I will see you thrown in the dungeon for uttering such lies."

"NO, FATHER!" shouted Eva. "Amir's right. Isabo is innocent. The beasts are my sisters."

The king's head turned from Eva to me a few times. "Have you both taken leave of your senses?" he said. "The countess saved my life. Without her selfless dash across the cemetery the bear would have mauled me to death."

"Your Majesty was never in any danger. It was the countess the bear was seeking out that day. Or any other day, for that matter; that's why most of the bear's killings in the castle happened in the area near her room." Suddenly another fact became clear to me. I looked at the countess. "The village's ruins—it's an old temple. And one of the gods it is dedicated to is Samu."

I looked up at the king. "Your Majesty, your daughters often accompanied the countess to the village, for charitable purposes. They knew about her status as a priestess of Samu. They knew she celebrated ceremonies in the old ruin. That's why the bears kept going there. The countess used to hold office in that temple. The villagers said priests and priestesses still visited it."

"This is madness," breathed the king, yet I could see that the seed of doubt had been planted in his mind. "Why should I believe such a tale? Why should I take the word of a stranger over those of the countess, whom I know and trust?"

"Because it is the truth!" a gravelly voice declared from the back of the assembly.

The crowd parted revealing the presence of a determined-looking Auguste Ramblais. As the old alchemist limped in my direction, I noted that he was hiding something behind his back. Auguste aligned himself beside me in front of the dais and pointed at the countess with his free hand. "Her men ambushed Prince Amir and Prince Diego at the foot of my tower. They killed Prince Diego. I've witnessed the entire wretched affair."

Shock blew through the assembly like a strong winter wind. I could see stunned, horrified, or bemused expressions printed on almost everybody's face.

Shadows of concern now clouded the countess's beautiful face. She gently touched the king's arm. "He, too, is a stranger in our land, Your Majesty. They both are intent on deceiving you. I fear they've murdered Prince Diego themselves and are trying to pin this devious crime on me."

"Curb your vile tongue, witch," hissed Auguste. Then turning to the king, he added, "I had an inkling that this young prince would need help. So I broke into the countess's rooms and found this—"

Auguste pulled out the hand he had kept hidden behind his back. A bronze statue of a sturgeon fish bearing a man's face was clutched in his fist.

"SAMU! It's Samu," echoed from the crowd. "It's true, she's a priestess."

"Alchemist," the king began, "a single statue hardly constitutes proof of misdeeds."

"Search her room, Your Highness, and you'll find all the proof you need," said Auguste with a look of disgust toward the countess. "This woman has had a shrine to her god built in one of her rooms. It's far too elaborate to have been constructed in a day for the purpose of discrediting her. The giant statue of Samu in its center must have taken at least four men to move."

"The missing statue!" I exclaimed, remembering the pile of drape on the chamber's floor." That's what your friends were carrying in that rug. They told me they were decorating. Well, they were indeed."

The king glared at the countess. "Is this true?"

She nodded her head, backing away.

"WHY?" roared the king.

The countess flinched, then raised her chin in a gesture of defiance. "How dare you ask me why! You never thought once about the fate of the priesthood when you banned our cults and destroyed our temples, leaving us destitute and without a roof over our heads. The things we were forced to do to survive are unmentionable. Some of us were reduced to begging for food, like dogs." As she spoke, the countess slowly walked to the edge of the dais, where two giant urns were placed.