The Tower of Bashan (41 page)

“Where are you going to lure Gulzar’s men?”

“Near the docks, there’s an old—”

“No. That’s an awful idea. There will be too many people near the docks, even at this time of night. I want to minimize any involvement with those in the city. Besides, it will be more difficult for our men to maneuver into positions to ambush.”

“You have a better idea?”

“The water gardens would be a better choice.”

He scratched his neck near his scar. Stubble hid part of it. “That might work. In fact, it is a better idea. I have just the place in mind to lead them. Thank you.” He started to turn away. “I’ll send word to the others. Wish us luck.”

“I’m going with you.”

He stopped. “No.”

“I will not sit idly by while my city bleeds, even if it’s the blood of those who deserve it. I need to be there. Anyway, why pretend I’m in the carriage when I can actually
be
in the carriage?”

“We could make you stay,” said Andrasta.

“No,” sighed Rondel. “This is her city, and the choice should be hers. Let’s go.”

* * *

Three teams set out on foot, horseback, or atop the carriage as they left Brahma’s home. Rondel and Mira took the carriage. Andrasta led the men on foot, and Brahma’s captain took those on horseback.

Mira gave Rondel directions for the longest route back to the palace in order to give the other teams a chance to get into position. They began to worry when there was no sign of any of Beladeva’s men.

Their worry eased after turning onto the road that passed in front of the palace. A large group of men led by Gulzar congregated outside the palace’s gate. Five sat atop mounts.

A relieved smile touched Mira’s lips as the palace guards on duty refused to open the gate for Gulzar and his men.

Perhaps, there are more loyal to me than Lela thought.

Rondel ducked his head inside the front window. “All right, Your Majesty. Gulzar has enough men to break that gate down in due time. Time to lure them away.”

She nodded.

The driver of the carriage cracked the whip and the horses picked up pace, drawing the attention of those at the gate. Mira pushed aside the curtain to the window just enough to be seen without appearing obvious.

Gulzar shouted orders and both men on foot and on horseback took off after them.

Mira suppressed several yelps, but not all of them as the carriage bounced along. The pain medicine taken earlier had begun to wear off. Each bump reminded her of every bruise.

The pain worsened as she ducked down from the carriage seat and lay on the floor when fighting erupted. She dared not poke her head out for a better look at what was going on, but the sounds of galloping horses flanking either side of the carriage, swords clashing, and things slamming into the doors gave her a pretty good idea.

Angry shouts turned into colorful curses after the driver took a sharp turn that threw her against the side. Her eyes watered in pain. The horses no longer pounded beside them, but fell behind the vehicle.

That means we made it to the water gardens.

She climbed up and poked her head out the front window. Through the narrow view, low-hanging tree branches and lush bushes zipped by, many thudding into the side of the carriage as it sped down a path meant for walkers. Despite the darkness, there was enough light from the moon and stars that she could make out a few of the more popular black-marble sculptures like the hero Erjan.

She hated suggesting they use the water gardens as the place to spring the trap. In some ways, it felt just as bad as defiling the tower with vendors.

But at this time of morning, no one except a few homeless will even be in the gardens. No one can see what’s going on from the outside. And no one will expect an ambush.

The carriage weaved in and out of several walking paths. To their pursuers, each turn probably seemed like an act of desperation from someone who knew not how to get out.

Which is what we want. Gulzar will think he has us trapped.

In truth, Rondel had told the driver to keep circling in order for Gulzar’s footmen to catch up with those on horseback.

A loud thud sounded against the back of the carriage. Another on the roof. She heard Rondel curse as a crossbow loosed and swords clanged. Shuffling boots skidded over the roof as men fought. Two screams followed and the roof of the carriage was once again absent of footsteps.

“Hold on, Princess,” Rondel warned from outside. “Push it,” he told the driver.

Good. He made it.

The carriage sped forward, rocking back and forth, banging against small trees and stone walls, creaking and cracking at every turn.

We’re not going to make it. The carriage is going to fall apart before we get there.

“Faster!” Rondel shouted.

Up ahead a false dawn formed. The horses raced into an arched tunnel.

“Now!” Rondel shouted as the horses neared the end.

The driver pulled up on the reins. One of the animals stumbled, careening into the other as the carriage stopped. The stumbling beast looked like it may have broken a leg, but Mira had little time to feel sympathy.

The door to the carriage opened, and Rondel yanked her out as the driver and two more of Brahma’s men blocked the wheels with large stones so it could not be pushed out of the exit of the tunnel.

“Get behind the tree,” said Rondel, gesturing as he and the others took positions around the carriage to hack at men trying to squeeze between it and the wall, or under the carriage itself.

She ran to the tree, heart pounding with fear. She wondered if she should have stayed at Brahma’s after all.

Rondel loosed several quarrels while Brahma’s guards stabbed with long spears. Still, the carriage skidded under the weight of men pressing forward. It stopped at a loud cry of battle from the other side of the archway.

Rondel looked back at Mira and gave her a grim nod. Andrasta and those she commanded had entered the tunnel from the other end, trapping Gulzar’s men inside.

Mira turned away and placed her hands over her ears to block the dying screams of so many.

I’m a butcher of men. What would Father say if he saw me now?

Sometime later a hand touched her shoulder. Rondel stood beside her, out of breath and speckled with death. He took a big gulp of air. “It’s over, Your Majesty.”

No. It is only beginning.
She should have felt elated, but given all that had happened, sorrow rested heavily on her shoulders.
Bashan will never be the same. Maybe I need to stop trying to make it what my father envisioned and instead make it into what it needs to be.

A thought struck her. “Gulzar?”

“Doubtful he would have followed us. But without his guards, Brahma’s captain should have located him by now.”

The plan had been for the captain to take his riders and chase Gulzar down the moment the men around him thinned enough to make their move.

She nodded, forcing herself to stand. Her brother was dead. She ruled Bashan outright. She needed to act like it. “You did well. Tell those of the watch to close off the water gardens. Brahma’s men are to see to the disposal of the bodies. It is to be done as cheaply as possible. They mean nothing to me.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. The sun will be up soon. You probably shouldn’t be here when that happens. Shall I take you back to the palace?”

“No. Back to Brahma’s. He’ll want to know what happened.”

* * *

By the time Mira returned to Brahma’s and relayed the details of the night’s events, small beams of sunlight flitted into his room. The smell of medicinal herbs filled the space. A small breeze pushed aside the thin curtain over the window, flashing a sunbeam into the room. Doing so exposed further details of Brahma’s bruises. Selfishly, Mira wondered if her torso looked as bad.

Silence stretched between them after ending her story.

She slowly eased herself from her seat, assuming he’d fallen asleep.

If the physical wounds don’t kill him, it’s possible the emotional ones will.

The pull in her side and the stiffness in her limbs reminded her that her body could use sleep as well.

“I’m still not ready to give Yamana my other hand yet,” said Brahma, referencing his joke about the Kindi god of death. His eyes opened once again. “He’ll just have to keep waiting until I say I’m ready.”

Mira grinned. “That pleases me to hear.”

Brahma let out a heavy sigh. “That’s not to say that a part of me doesn’t want to simply die so that I might be with my sons again. But to do that would be conceding defeat. My oldest son, Madhav,” he paused, fighting back tears. “He has a young one. My grandson. He turns six in a few months. He’ll need a strong male presence in his life. I mean to live long enough to give him that.”

“I’m sure Madhav would have wanted that.”

A tear fell from his eye. “Yes, I think he would.” He closed his eyes again. “You can leave now, Your Majesty. I just wanted to let you know that I didn’t plan on leaving this life just yet.”

Mira exited quietly, clicking the door shut behind her. She was relieved that Brahma did not intend to give up. He was a good man and deserved a better ending to his life. Selfishly, she also needed his support to clean up the mess her brother left behind.

And to truly make Bashan into something better.

A throat cleared to her right, jarring her from her thoughts. Rondel stood waiting. Andrasta leaned against a wall nearby, doing her best to appear indifferent, but failing in the process.

“Your Majesty.”

“What is it?”

“We didn’t want to leave with unfinished business.”

“Leave? You aren’t leaving. You did betray Bashan.”

“True, but are you really going to hold us to that despite what we did afterward to help you secure Bashan under your rule?”

Mira noted the subtly in which Andrasta’s hand drifted to the hilt of her sword.
After what I’ve seen, how many more will die just to stop them. Learn to pick your battles, Mira. This isn’t one.
“Then what is your unfinished business?”

“Lela.”

“Lela?”

“We were wondering if you could take her in.”

Mira blinked. Shocked didn’t begin to describe the unexpected comment.

“She needs someone to take care of her. She has a lot of respect for you, and I know she’d love nothing more than to work for you again.”

“Why can’t you take her?”

“Please, Your Majesty. You know who we are and what we do. That’s no life for a young girl.”

“What happens if I say no?”

“Well, then I guess we take her with us anyway. I won’t abandon her to a life on the streets.”

She bit her lower lip. “I . . . I’ll need to think about it.”

“That’s understandable. We’ll wait.”

Mira blinked as neither Rondel nor Andrasta moved. “You want an answer now?”

“Like I said, Your Majesty. We really need to be on our way. Not to sound completely selfish, but we have our own wounds to heal and our own losses to mourn. Staying here makes it more difficult for us to do so.”

Mira shook her head, amazed at Rondel’s gall.
All for a little girl.

She considered what Lela had meant to her before discovering her betrayal. She came to realize that though the girl’s ability to gain information had been one aspect of why her company was important, in many ways she just enjoyed having someone around that she could speak freely with.

Rondel said that she’s all alone, but am I any different? We both lost the only family we knew. Perhaps bringing her into the palace would do us both some good.

* * *

Lela stood at the gate to Brahma’s home with Mira beside her. Neither spoke as they watched Rondel and Andrasta disappear down a side street. Lela noted the irony that they had once disappeared in a similar manner after her very first encounter with them near the docks.

I have a feeling I won’t see them again this time.

“I’m going to miss them,” she said in an effort to break the silence. Lela hadn’t known Andrasta and Rondel long, but without them only the gods knew where she might have ended up.

Dead or still working for Beladeva.

“They were . . . interesting,” said Mira, her voice stiff.

She could feel the barrier, the tension between them.

I caused that stiffness. How do I fix that? Can I fix that?

She cleared her throat. “Your Majesty, I can’t say I’m sorry enough.” She paused. “I hope I—”

Mira draped an arm over her shoulder and pulled her in close. “I forgive you. Let’s go home.”

EPILOGUE

Master Enzi had a strict rule about his students not partaking in substances that could alter their reaction time. He said, “A warrior who is stupid enough to purposefully dull their senses is a warrior who deserves to die.”