Ashes And Spirit (Book 3) (15 page)

At the request of Lalani, she’d continued ruling Markene with a firm hand. She’d remained largely silent during these meetings of nobles, refusing to justify her actions—until now.

The incessant droning of Lord Haden’s nasally voice grated in her ears, each word driving into her head like nails. Her anger, that had grown in a slow burn, now simmered just under the surface. When Haden jumped onto the next complaint, the people who’d come to Markene as refugees, the anger flashed white-hot.

Kalila stood from her seat at the head of the table and raised herself to her full height. She was still shorter than him by several inches. It didn’t matter. She gave him a look that clearly showed she thought him less than the dirt beneath her shoe.

“What would you have done with the displaced people, Lord Haden?” she asked, doing her best to keep her voice even while she interrupted him.

Haden turned toward her, his eyes wide as if surprised she’d spoken. “I would not have done anything with them. I would not have involved Markene in Trilene’s quarrel.”

Kalila raised an eyebrow. “I know you wouldn’t have. I saw exactly how willing you were to stick your neck out for Markene on the day Sadira paid her visit. If you could do nothing more than cower against a wall when the safety of Markene’s people was at stake, why would you be capable of standing up for anyone else?”

“That was different.” Haden’s face flushed red. In anger or embarrassment, Kalila couldn’t tell. “What you did went well beyond protecting Markene. And then you dragged all of those filthy people back with you.”

Kalila didn’t register what she’d done until she was standing in front of Haden, her hand stinging from the force of the slap. A collective gasp filled the room.

Haden’s eyes narrowed, the red handprint on the side of his face standing out as he gave her a murderous look. “You dare—”

“You dare! Who are you to question my decision? If Markene were facing the same impossible odds, I would hope other nations would come to our aid. If we refuse to show our support for our allies, how can we expect them to help defend our borders when the time comes?” Kalila nearly shook with anger. “And as far as those ‘filthy people’ are concerned, those people who you seem to feel deserved to die, they are no longer in Markene because they are busy building their own nation from the ground up. Something I know you cannot begin to comprehend since you had everything handed to you by virtue of birth, and you can’t even run that properly. I imagine anything built by you would likely fall down in the first good wind.”

Kalila stepped back from him, bringing her emotions under control. “You will say nothing else on this matter. If you wish to push the issue, then we will be forced to go head to head. This isn’t a fight you want Haden. Do
not
test me. If you find that you haven’t the stomach to continue under my rule, you are more than welcome to pack your bags and head for the Kormai. However, if you remain, you will cease causing unrest in this nation in the hopes of your own selfish gain. Markene and its people are not a gaming chip for you to play with.”

“You will regret this,” Haden said through gritted teeth.

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. Go ahead. Continue with what you’ve been trying. I promise you won’t like the results. And even if you were to unseat me from my throne, you shall never sit in it.” If he thought his threats frightened her then he was underestimating her.

He laughed darkly. “I’m the only one to take it if you were declared unsuitable.”

So sure of himself, so full of his own self-imagined superiority, and so convinced of his place in the world. It was time to pull that rug from beneath his feet. Kalila allowed a small smile to play upon her lips. “Hard to sit in the throne when you are a dead man.”

Haden took a step toward her and stopped when the Defenders shifted, ready to prevent him from harming their queen. Not that it mattered. At that moment, Kalila held her magic ready. Haden would die before he laid a hand on her.

“You dare threaten me like that?”

“I’m not making a threat, Haden. You have my word as Queen of Markene, no matter what befalls me, that you will never live to take the throne.”

He glanced back at the other Heads sitting at the table. None of them made eye contact. Kalila chuckled at the flicker of fear she saw in his eyes. “Don’t look for help among them. Even the worst of them understands basic human decency.”

Haden turned on his heel and strode from the chamber. The sound of the door slamming echoed throughout the room. With a heavy sigh, she returned to the table and addressed the man ranked under Haden. “I believe we have some issues with food and gold you wished to discuss before Haden went on his tangent.”

“Yes, my queen.” The man nodded and eyed her warily.

Kalila sat back down and resisted the urge to rub her temples again. The headache had returned, worse than before. Soon, she would be able to lose herself in the sword lessons that irritated everyone around her. After several months, she was finally gaining some aptitude with it.

In the back of her mind, she wondered what Lalani was up to. The advisor was acting odd and it had something to do with Loki. He had returned along with Jocelynn and Varnen two days ago. In those two days, Loki had disappeared twice. Though Lalani claimed not to know where the Gold Rider was, something in her eyes made Kalila think otherwise. She would have to figure out what was going on.

He strode through the keep. The occasional servant passed him, offering quick curtsies and bows. Too busy with their day-to-day work to do more than barely acknowledge him, he knew they would pay him little mind or dwell on his presence in these lesser halls deep beneath Marden.

A tight knot twisted his stomach at what he was about to do. It was the only way. He’d hoped the capture and death of the Red Rider several months ago would drive away the Guardians. But it hadn’t. The woman had freed herself.

He reached a trembling hand toward the latch of the heavy wooden door. A waft of damp air greeted him when he opened it. Slipping through, he closed it quietly, and walked down the long tunnel until he stood at the top of the stone steps cut into the wall. A single torch burned in a sconce. Though always lit, the chamber below was rarely visited. No one would be in to check on the torch for hours. No one would see the deed he was about to do.

Below him, the light from the torch flickered dimly off the waters of the underground lake. The huge cylinder rising from the center carried water up into the castle. A large crank propelled by spit dogs and counterweights kept the spiral within the cylinder carrying water on a regular basis.

He swallowed and took a deep breath. Any moment now. It wasn’t that he disliked the Guardians; they just brought too much change with them. That Red Rider had put all sorts of foolish notions into the heads of the young women of Shadereen. And even into the heads of women old enough to know better. Women learning the use of weapons and going to battle, it was preposterous. The Boromari had used the tactic for centuries, but only because they were clearly daft. Women didn’t have the strength, brains, or constitution for battle. So what if a few Boromari women could do it? It just showed they didn’t have proper women there.

And the clothing! It was scandalous and now many of the women were having their traditional dresses altered to mimic that harlot of a rider. It was one thing for a man to take many bedmates, but women were supposed to be faithful to their men. He would have to put a stop to the ideas of scanty dresses and women warriors once the Guardians were gone.

In fact, he would have to take control and put a stop to many things. Like the idea of common people being taught to read and calculate. What a waste of time that was. Why did the Guardians think the nation hired accountants to keep track of the people’s money for them? The common man had no need for such knowledge. And women! They wanted women to learn such things too. The whole thing was ludicrous.

Women had their place in the world. They took care of the home, their men, and the children. And the common man had his place in the world too, and it didn’t involve the need of reading, calculations, or getting too many ideas.

And so he stood, waiting. The Shadow Riders had promised him they would leave Shadereen alone after the Guardians were driven out. This was necessary.

A whirlpool of inky black swirled open in the middle of the chamber, and a black dragon with a silver underside slid through. He wasn’t happy to see a woman on the dragon, but he would deal with her if he must. As long as it meant putting things back to the way they had been. Back the way he was used to them, when life was more comfortable.

The black landed at the lake’s edge, her wings whipping the damp air around him. The rider slipped out of the saddle and landed in the water on the far side of the dragon then she sloshed to the narrow shore.

He grabbed the torch from its sconce and descended the stairs to meet her. She paused when they were a few paces apart. Her dark hair, the color of cold blood, framed her face. The light of the torch danced in her eerie green eyes, the irises ringed with black.

“You wished to speak with one of us?” Azurynn’s voice held amusement as if she knew the thoughts in his mind. A smile parted her lips. “I do know what you are thinking. I have rummaged through every thought in your head.”

He straightened and squared his shoulders, ignoring the sheen of cold sweat on his forehead. “Then you know what I wish to ask.”

She nodded. “Indeed.” She pursed her lips and regarded him for a moment. “You know, of course, that although Osgar promised the Shadow Riders would leave Shadereen alone, we aren’t likely to keep that promise. Osgar is new, foolish, and not in a position to make such promises. If we run the Guardians out, Shadereen will be ours.”

The knot in his stomach tightened painfully. He should have known this was too good to be true.

Azurynn folded her arms, one hand raised, finger tapping her lips. “However,” she lowered her hand. “I can promise these changes that bother you would be a thing of the past under our rule. Female Shadow Riders fight in battle but there is no reason for any other woman to. And this University nonsense will be put to rest. All that we ask is a tax levied and the money from that be given to the Shadow Riders. There will be times when we may need livestock, people, etc. We will be given these things without resistance. Other than that, you may run your nation how you wish. Pave your streets in gold or slaughter half the people, we care not.”

He swallowed. What choice did he have? Shadereen must be set right. He opened his mouth to agree, but she stopped him with a held up hand and said, “Do be aware the cost of life will be extensive. Your people will fight as will the Guardians. Once we make this agreement, the Shadow Riders will not stop. Also, all of those in a position of leadership will have to be disposed of, as you well know. Except for you, of course. That was the reason you contacted us, wasn’t it? Your own lack of faith in the Guardians and the desire to maintain your own position?”

He barely held his emotions in check. Her tinkling laugh echoed in the chamber. “I told you, I have already gone through your mind quite thoroughly. Your desire to return Shadereen to what it once was only came after your own cowardice. Nevertheless, we will do as you ask.”

“Loss of life is a consequence of war.” He sighed. “I will accept your conditions.”

A languid smile settled on her pretty face. “We will begin soon.” The smile faded, and her eyes glared icy daggers at him. “Do not try to back out of our deal now. If I detect a hint of you switching back to the Guardian’s side, I will personally see to your death, but not before I have taken the life of everyone you care about, including that newborn grandbabe of yours.”

He jerked a nod. “I will not falter.”

“See that you don’t.”

Without another word, she turned and walked back to the dragon. Within moments she was gone, and he stood alone in the cavern with only the sound of the disturbed water lapping at its gravel banks to break the silence.