Ghost in the Hunt (24 page)

“I intend to do so,” said Martin, looking at Caina.

And as angry as Claudia often felt towards Caina, she knew that Martin’s decision was the right one.

###

That night Caina sat on a bench against the wall in Strabane’s hall and sipped from a cup of bitter Kaltari beer.

The hall reminded her a great deal of the Lord Governor’s seat in Calvarium. It looked like the hall of some ancient barbarian king, and had Strabane lived a few centuries ago, Caina supposed he would have been a barbarian king. Massive flagstones covered the floor, the walls and pillars of timber supporting the thatched roof. Ancient skulls gazed down from the pillars, yellowed from decades of smoke. A firepit smoldered in the center of the hall, the smoke rising to a hole in the roof overhead. Long tables ran the length of the hall, Imperial Guards and Kaltari warriors sharing food and drink. At first Caina had feared that the two groups of warriors would come to blows, but soon the men were laughing and sharing jokes. 

Perhaps it was the Kaltari beer. It was really rather strong.

Strabane stood near the firepit, surveying his domain. Nasser and Martin stood near him, speaking in low voices. Caina’s eyes wandered over the hall, watching for any sign of trouble. A group of musicians played in one corner, beating on drums and playing fiddles. A buzz of cheerful conversation filled the hall, but it did not touch her. The others might have relaxed, but she could not. 

The carnage in the Golden Palace was still too fresh in her mind.

“You really went into the netherworld with them?” said Claudia. 

Claudia had not relaxed, either. Her green eyes roved back and forth. It made sense, given that she had almost seen her husband killed in front of her. 

“I did,” said Caina.

“Why?” said Claudia.

“It was either that or stay to be butchered by Callatas’s Immortals,” said Caina. “We cut across the netherworld and used another gate back to the mortal world. It worked, and we got out alive.”

“And you didn’t leave anyone behind?” said Claudia, staring at the firepit.

Caina felt the barb behind those words, the accusation. 

“No,” she said at last. 

They sat in silence for a moment. 

“Every time I have gone into the netherworld,” said Caina, “I have regretted it bitterly.”

“Three times now, isn’t it?” said Claudia without looking at her.

“It was,” said Caina.

“What did you regret from the last time?” said Claudia. “You all got out alive, didn’t you?”

“I almost had to kill a friend,” said Caina. “A nagataaru possessed her. The ghostsilver dagger drove it out, though. And…I saw things.”

Something in her voice caught Claudia’s attention. “What things did you see?”

“The nagataaru,” said Caina. She had never told anyone about this in detail, but for some reason she wanted to tell it to Claudia now. Perhaps that Kaltari beer was more potent than she had thought. “Millions of them, millions upon millions, all coming for me. There are cracks between the worlds now, remnants from the great rift the Moroaica opened. The nagataaru can sometimes slip through them. I heard a voice…”

“The Voice?” said Claudia, startled. “The Huntress’s nagataaru?”

“No,” said Caina. “A great and terrible voice. I could hear it in my head. If a mountain could speak, it might have a voice like that. It claimed to be the prince of the nagataaru, a creature the legends call Kotuluk Iblis. The voice said it had devoured countless worlds, that our world was next.” Her words grew quieter. “I have nightmares about that voice, sometimes.”

“Such vile creatures,” said Claudia. “Why would Callatas make a pact with them? Surely he understands that they regard him as prey.” 

Caina shrugged. “Perhaps he thinks he can control them. Maybe he intends to use them as a tool that he can discard. Perhaps he fancies themselves their equal. Sorcerers can believe all sorts of folly.”

“Then have Strabane cut off my head already,” said Claudia with a scowl of irritation. 

Caina frowned. “I didn’t mean…” 

“Why don’t you complain about swords instead?” said Claudia. “Or knives? True, a man can use sorcery to work evil, but it is far more common for a man to kill with a knife than with sorcery. Why don’t you rid the world of knives before you complain about sorcerers?” She made a dismissive gesture with her left hand, the wedding ring glinting upon her finger. “But then I suppose you would have to throw rocks, which would hardly be as effective.”

“Claudia,” said Caina. “You…

“Don’t lecture me,” said Claudia, and there was a glint of tears in her eyes. “You’re supposed to be a spy, the one who sees everything. You didn’t see the Huntress coming. You didn’t see her coming at all, and she almost killed my husband.”

“I…” started Caina. 

“You got Corvalis killed,” whispered Claudia.

Caina opened her mouth, closed it again, a wave of hot fury and ashamed grief rolling through her. 

“You loved him, I know,” said Claudia. “But he was my brother and I knew him for far longer than you. And you led him to his death. You…”

She took a deep breath and looked away.

Caina trembled for a moment, her mind frozen with warring emotions.

She did not know what she might have done next, but Laertes stepped closer.

“Pardon, my lady Claudia,” said the old veteran. “I need a word with Master Ciaran.” 

“Yes. Yes, of course,” said Claudia, blinking eyes that had gone bloodshot. She stood up from the bench. 

“What is it?” said Caina, forcing her voice and expression to calm.

“I think,” said Laertes, “that you ought to talk to those women there.” A group of young women stood near the doors to the hall, looking at the soldiers and speaking to each other in low voices, sometimes laughing as they did. 

“Why?” said Caina. “Do they have useful information?”

“No,” said Laertes, “but I think you could use the company.”

Claudia stopped, giving Laertes an incredulous look. The former Legionary did not notice.

“I’m sorry?” said Caina.

Laertes sighed. “You’re one of the cleverest and bravest men I’ve met, Ciaran. If not for you, we would all have died. But I shall be blunt. You are wound up tighter than a Strigosti trapbox, and you need a woman.” 

Of all the things that Laertes could have said, Caina had not expected that. 

Claudia twitched, a hand going to her mouth to conceal a laugh.

“I…see,” said Caina. 

“I had this talk with some of my younger Legionaries when I was still a centurion,” said Laertes. “I heard you and Nasser talking. You had a woman? Lady Claudia’s younger sister?”

Claudia’s eyebrows climbed halfway up her forehead.

“Something like that,” said Caina. 

“Some men were made to be alone,” said Laertes. “You aren’t one of them.”

“I cannot argue with that,” said Caina.

Claudia was starting to twitch a bit from the effort of not laughing. 

“The best time for a woman is right before a battle or right after,” said Laertes, “and we’re about to go into battle, I think. So put that clever mind of yours to use and go charm one of those women. If that’s too much work, travelers come through here often. One of them might be amenable to a few coins.”

“For the gods’ sake!” said Caina. “Did Nasser put you up to this? You’re a married man! With daughters! And you’re telling me to hire a prostitute?” 

Laertes shrugged. “Why do you think I work for Nasser? My daughters will all have fine dowries, and they’ll marry good men. They won’t need to whore when I’m dead and can’t provide for them. But you, Master Ciaran, you should go find a woman for the night. It will do a young man like you some good. Take your mind off your troubles.”

“I’ll…consider it,” said Caina. 

Claudia straightened up and let her boots click loudly against the floor.

“Ah, Master Laertes,” said Claudia, as if she had just returned. “Whatever were you and Master Ciaran talking about?”

“Matters of business, my lady,” said Laertes. “There is much to do tomorrow.” 

“I am sure,” said Claudia. “I’ve always wondered what men talk about when women aren’t around.”

“Weapons and wine, mostly,” said Laertes. He offered her a crisp bow. “If you will excuse me.”

He crossed the hall to rejoin Nasser.

Caina and Claudia stared at each other for a moment.

Caina sighed. “Out with it already.”

Claudia burst out laughing as she sat down. 

“Would you like me to help you pick one?” said Claudia.

Caina sighed again.

“Blond or brunette?” said Claudia. “I happen to think blond is superior myself. Certainly better than black hair. Or I suppose the size of her…”

Caina did laugh at that. “You’re just like Corvalis. He would have laughed himself sick over this. The first time I dyed my hair blond, he said…”

The mirth drained from Claudia’s expression at the mention of Corvalis’s name. 

“Claudia,” said Caina, “I…”

Claudia rose from the bench, walked to the back doors of the hall, and vanished onto the terrace.

Caina hesitated. Perhaps it was better to let Claudia stew in her grief and bitterness. It was not Caina’s responsibility, no matter how guilty she felt. Yet as Laertes said, they were about to go into battle together. They needed to trust each other.

And she was Corvalis’s sister. Corvalis would not have wanted her to mourn.

Caina sighed one last time, cursed herself as a fool, and followed Claudia.

###

Kalgri slipped her mask of red steel over her face. She rolled her shoulders, her armor of red leather creaking, and checked her weapons in their sheaths one last time. Not that she needed them to kill. She could rip a man’s head from her shoulders with her bare hands, or summon the sword of nagataaru to eviscerate her foes with a gentle flick of her wrist. But sometimes it was more efficient to kill with a blade of steel. For that matter, even with the power of the Voice, sometimes she could not move fast enough to dodge and therefore had to parry. She could heal any wounds dealt to her, but even the Voice’s power was not infinite, and her body would only absorb so much damage before she had to rest. 

The Voice hissed and whispered inside her head, awakening like a serpent stirring in its den.

It sensed that there was a great deal of killing to be done. 

Chapter 14 - Confessions

Caina stepped onto the terrace, the cool breeze tugging at her cloak.

It was pleasant compared to the blazing heat of Istarinmul. Fingers of mist still drifted between the craggy hills of the Highlands, the tough Istarish pines rising here and there. The stars and the moon shone overhead, painting the mist and the hills with silver light. It was eerily beautiful, almost ghostly.

Claudia stood not far from the edge of the terrace, arms wrapped around herself, her head bowed. 

She was weeping.

Caina approached, and Claudia lifted her head. 

“I don’t know what’s come over me lately,” said Claudia. “I get furious, and then so sad in the next moment.”

“Probably,” said Caina, “it was the sight of me.”

Claudia nodded. “I thought that was it.” 

They stood in silence for a moment, the breeze rustling past.

“I’m sorry,” said Caina.

“For what?” said Claudia. “It’s not your fault. My mind knows that…my heart does not, I fear. You didn’t kill him.” 

“I know,” said Caina. 

“I used to be so afraid of you,” said Claudia. 

“Because of Catekharon,” said Caina.

“I was wrong there,” said Claudia, “so incredibly wrong, and it almost got us killed. Worse than killed. Then you outwitted and killed Mihaela. After that was Caer Magia…”

“I had help,” said Caina. “Lots of help. Corvalis and Kylon and Martin. And you. If you hadn’t distracted Rhames, he would have killed us all with a wave of his hand.” 

“Yes,” said Claudia. “But you were the one who figured out how to stop Mihaela. You were the one who figured out how to kill Rhames. When you went into the golden rift with Corvalis and Talekhris, I was sure you would come back. That you would have Corvalis with you. But…”

“But I came back alone,” said Caina. 

“He was my only family,” said Claudia. “My father doesn’t count. He would kill me in a moment, if he thought it convenient. Corvalis crossed half a world to save me from Ranarius. I thought he could do anything.” A shiver of anger went through her voice. “And then he met you.” 

“He did,” said Caina. 

“He died following you,” said Claudia. 

Caina nodded, not trusting herself to speak. 

“I was so angry with you,” said Claudia. “That’s foolish, is it not? Corvalis died, but so many other people died that day. So many more people would have died if you hadn’t gone into the golden rift. It is neither rational nor fair for me to be so angry with you.”

“But he was your brother,” said Caina. 

“Yes,” whispered Claudia.

Again the silence stretched between them.

“I should have talked to you,” said Caina. “After…after it happened. Before the Emperor banished me from the Empire.”

Claudia shook her head. “I wouldn’t have listened. I was too angry.” She gave a sad little laugh. “I might still be too angry. Do you know something? I look at you…and I wish you weren’t here. I wish you had died in New Kyre, not Corvalis. I know losing you would have hurt him. But he would still be alive to feel the pain.” 

“I wish that, too,” said Caina.

Claudia looked at her, her eyes bloodshot.

“Did they tell you how he died?” said Caina.

Claudia shrugged. “You went into the rift, fought the Moroaica, and you came out again. He didn’t.”

“There is more than that,” said Caina.

“I don’t want to hear it,” said Claudia.

“You don’t want to hear it, and I don’t want to talk about it,” said Caina, taking a ragged breath. A dull, throbbing pain spread through her head, and her eyes felt dry and gritty. “But you have the right to hear it. More, I think…I think you need to hear what happened.” 

She expected Claudia to protest, but the older woman remained silent.