Tears of War (34 page)

Kalila frowned. “They can’t take the throne anyway. Only the male heir can and now Toren has to come here.” She shook her head. “Haden will make a real mess of things. He can barely run his household.”

Dhovara nodded. “This is why the state of Markene has become our concern. With a few years under his belt, even months, Toren would likely do fine. However he can’t do that if he comes here. A woman could assume the throne in Markene, but she would have to be a strong woman. One who knew herself and was determined not to get walked on. And she would have to carry the blood of the king in her veins in order to make her claim valid.”

Kalila stared at her as Dhovara’s words sank in. “You want me to take the throne?”

The Mage Councilor nodded. “You are the best candidate. If Toren decides to answer the call, Galdrilene will be removing a sitting ruler from a nation. It is our duty to offer the next best candidate. This would have to have your brother’s approval. As the current king, only he can choose his successor. Things will be different once Dragon Law is everywhere again. For now though, we have to tread carefully.”

“A woman has never ruled Markene, not in the five hundred years since it rose from the ashes of the War of Fire.” Kalila shook her head slowly. “No, I think my place is here now. A woman trying to take the reins of power might cause more of a mess and more hardship for the people than Haden could ever think of doing.”

Dhovara shrugged slightly. “It is of course your choice. No one can force you to walk a path you are not destined to. Take a couple of days to think about it. We will honor whatever decision you make.” She stood and walked to the door, pausing with her hand on the latch, Dhovara looked back. “If you should decide to try and carry this mantle, you will have the support and backing of Galdrilene. You will also still be able to continue your training. One of the senior Weather mages would travel with you to Markene. Kellinar leaves in two days. He can take you if that is your decision.”

She left and closed the door behind her. Kalila stared at the door. A woman couldn’t rule Markene, it was preposterous. Wasn’t it? She curled her legs up into the chair, her mind in turmoil. Her short time in Galdrilene had already taught her there was no reason that a man or a woman couldn’t do anything.The people in Galdrilene seemed to fall into whatever suited them best. Three of the towers had female leaders.

Why couldn’t she take her brother’s place? Because she was a woman and therefore automatically incapable? She shook her head; some may think that in Markene, but when it came to this, she knew she would do as well if not better than her brother.

Why was she having a hard time with her decision? Was it because it had never been done before? That was a silly reason. If people stuck with that way of thinking nothing would ever move forward. As she thought about it, she realized that was exactly what happened in a lot of the downlands. So many were stuck in a rut and unable to find the ladder out.

Could she leave Markene in the inept hands of Haden? She really didn’t know a lot about running a nation. She’d sat in on a few things and her father had discussed things with her and her siblings on occasion, but he reserved most of that for Toren. Daughters were for marrying off and solidifying relations with higher nobles and other nations.

She scowled. Maybe she would take up the mantel. Between escaping Sadira and her time in Galdrilene, Kalila had found her own worth. She wasn’t a horse to be sold off to the highest bidder or to the man with the best pedigree. If she allowed the status quo to stand, allowed Haden to take the throne, her younger sisters would end up being married off just that way.

And one day Sadira would visit Markene. Haden would be extremely disadvantaged. In fact, Markene would likely fall to Sadira and the Shadow Riders. Her younger sisters would either become Sadira’s pets or killed outright.

It was that last thought more than anything else that made Kalila’s decision. She would do it. She would step up and take her brother’s place. She wouldn’t leave Markene unprotected. Even Toren didn’t know what he was up against if he thought Haden and a few nobles were the worst of his problems.

Kalila stood up and left the room. She buried her grief deep within; to be dealt with later when there was time. She climbed the circling stairs to Dhovara’s study and knocked on the door.

“Come in.” Dhovara’s answer came from the other side.

Kalila opened the door and stepped into the spacious room. “I will do it. I don’t have much choice. Markene will need protection in the coming years and not even Toren understands the true danger that lies beyond the borders.” She lifted her chin slightly. “I know magically I am nowhere near, nor ever will be, the strength of Sadira, so I ask for a few things.”

Dhovara nodded. “I’m glad you have made this decision. You will be provided with whatever you need as long as it is sensible.”

“I would like to take at least three mages with me. One senior mage for teaching, which you have already offered. The other two can be whatever level of mage you feel comfortable sending. When Sadira comes to Markene, and she will, I want both the senior mage and myself to be able to defend against her.” She took a deep breath and looked Dhovara in the eye. “I will never allow myself to be tortured by Sadira again. I will choose death first.”

The darker woman nodded. “Your determination is good to see. You will do well in your place in life. I will grant you a senior mage and four other mages for a total of five. My understanding is that Sadira is quite strong and I will not have her hurting any of my mages.” She smiled, her white teeth brilliant in her dark face. “I get the feeling this is not the only thing you are requesting.”

Kalila shook her head. “No, it isn’t. I want to take some Defenders with me. I will be facing a lot of resistance from higher nobles in Markene, maybe even from some of the people. Sadly, I won’t be able to fully trust the soldiers in Markene.”

Dhovara shook her head. “That may not be possible. Bringing foreign soldiers into the nation you plan to rule may cause more problems. It will certainly upset the nobles.”

“Putting me on the throne will do no good if someone slits my throat in my sleep.”

The Mage Councilor frowned. “You may have a point. I will speak with Hemmen Warrick about it. As the leader of the Defenders, it will be his decision whether or not to send his soldiers there. I am sure he will consult with Bardeck and Emallya on the matter. Is there anything else?”

Kalila nodded. “I know very little of running a nation. That training was reserved for my brother. I ask for an advisor that is well-versed in such things. I don’t intend to run Markene into the ground while I muddle through a bunch of mistakes.”

A smile spread across Dhovara’s face. “You were indeed a good choice. Already you recognize your weaknesses and reach out for help. You will have your advisor. Perhaps Tarik will be able to suggest a good person for such a task. Who better to ask than the governor of Galdrilene?” She pulled a few sheets of paper over in front of her. “I will pen the messages to Hemmen and Tarik and send them immediately.”

Kalila concealed her relief. She wouldn’t be headed into this alone and she wouldn’t make some grave mistake and ruin Markene. “Thank you, Mage Councilor.”

Dhovara glanced up from writing. “You are most welcome. Kellinar leaves in two days. I suggest you take that time to gather anything else you need and prepare yourself. As you said, you will be the first woman to take the throne of Markene in the history of the nation. You will be walking into a lion’s den. Make sure you are ready.”

K
ellinar buckled the safety straps across his thighs and glanced over his shoulder at Kalila. “Are you set? Make sure you have the straps tight.”

“Trust me, they are as tight as I can make them. I may have cut off the blood flow to my legs.”

He heard the nervous tremor in her voice. “I promise Shryden will fly nice and easy. There is nothing to be afraid of.”

A shaky laugh floated over his shoulder. “That’s easy for you to say.”

Kellinar smiled and looked at Anevay. She stood on the inner terrace. He couldn’t help feeling relief that she was staying here for now. He waved at her as Shryden gathered himself to take off.

The dragon took off as slowly and smoothly as possible. Even so, Kalila grabbed him around the waist and clung so tight he almost had trouble breathing. Her face was buried against his back, and he had a feeling she was determined not to look until they were on the ground again.

The blue climbed to a high altitude before the picture of Markene formed in the dragon’s mind. Thankfully, Emallya had returned from Boromar in time to provide it. Others had seen the city, including Kalila, but getting a clear picture from them was nearly impossible for the dragon. Dragons easily passed images between each other and got images from their riders. But when it involved non-riders, they needed someone with Spirit magic to handle that kind of thing.

The Mage Councilor of the Tower of Spirit could have tried to transfer an image from Kalila to Shryden, but the process was uncertain. Emallya’s powers were so much stronger that it made things more exact. Kellinar wasn’t sure he would have trusted anything less when it came to Sliding. He didn’t want Shryden to get lost in a fold.

The Slide opened and pulled them in. Behind him Kalila groaned and tightened her grip. The swirl of colors lasted only a moment and then they were over Markene. The castle, built on a natural rise, stood in the center of the fortified city on the banks of the massive Galdar River.

He turned his head and shouted over the wind, “Where do you want Shryden to land?”

She yelled something he didn’t hear.

“What?”

The wind whipped her answer away again but he caught some words, “…don’t want…inner courtyard…best…”

“I think she said I should land in the inner courtyard,”
came Shryden’s sending.

“I think you are right. If this Toren decides to answer the call we will fly him to Galdrilene and then bring the advisor and the others.”
Kellinar paused before voicing his next thought.
“What happens if he refuses the call?”

He felt Shryden’s mental shrug.
“Acceptance can’t be forced. If he truly wishes to be left alone, the egg will grow quiet and when Toren dies either of sickness a year from now or old age fifty years from now, the egg will die with him.”

Kellinar turned that over. The idea of an egg just sitting there quietly waiting to die rankled him. Hopefully it wouldn’t be an issue.

As Shryden settled down to the inner courtyard, people ran screaming. Kellinar rolled his eyes. It would be nice once people were used to dragons again. The whole running and screaming thing was wearing thin. Didn’t they realize that if Shryden wanted them dead they would probably already be so?

Armored guards flooded the inner courtyard, at first looking determined to stand their ground, but as the massive blue continued to descend they seemed to get it through their heads that the dragon was landing here and scrambled out of his way.

Shryden’s feet touched down and he swung his head around to take in the guards and their positions. An arrow zinged passed, ripping a hole in Kellinar’s sleeve and slicing his shoulder. It wasn’t deep though blood flowed down his arm, soaking his sleeve.

Shryden lifted his wings and his thunderous roar filled the courtyard. Guards cowered and covered their ears. He turned to find the archer who shot the arrow.