When Comes the Fire Page 14

  Darwe's eyes were fixed on Momal's back as the older man led the way down corridor after corridor, twisting through the winding maze of hallways lined with priceless art; tapestries and vases from the first days of the humans, dating them all at about six hundred cycles old. It infuriated Namida that the queen must have spent no small fortune on collecting these priceless artifacts, having them shipped all the way from their original home in what was once the country of Nath'Reen, the land the first humans had originated from. All of the other lands—Solus, Memiria—by the Ancients, even the Wildlands of all places had become populated only several decades after the first humans had settled throughout all of Nath'Reen. Even though their progress towards civilization as they now knew it had been largely guided by the first Ancient, Ternalara, it was rare that humans tried to cross the untameable sea; and even rarer still that they survived the return. As such, shipping goods across the sea came with an exorbitant price—the only thing that lured the rare, reckless soul to risk life and limb on the open waters.

  "Why is security here so tight?" Darwe blurted out at length, finally unable to hold his tongue any longer. Namida was glad of it. It pulled her out of her seething rage momentarily, even though it didn't last for long as she was reminded of yet another reason she was having trouble keeping her anger in check. At Momal's glance back, eyebrow raised, Darwe frowned. "Well, you saw for yourself how largely unguarded the villages to the north are, and yet those are the ones that are being attacked. Wouldn't it make more sense to guard the villages that are being targeted? To send aid where it's needed most?" Darwe's face was twisting with emotion as he continued, "Even Endothar was ill equipped to last against Kaska's troops, and it was one of her most loyal villages!"

  Namida's hand snaked out to grip Darwe's upper arm tight enough to cut off the circulation; a silent warning for him to back down. She could see the guards at the end of the corridor shifting their hands to the pommels of their swords, glaring at the dirty cutthroats that dared invade their sacred space and had the gall to badmouth their queen. Darwe's expression was one of frustration as he looked down at her. She shook her head ever so slightly, glancing down the hall at the guards as they stood guarding the largest set of doors they had come across yet. Perhaps they had finally reached their destination. Namida couldn't tell if that was a good or bad thing, what with how high their tensions were currently running.

  Momal heaved a sigh, waving them to continue on after him as he approached the guards—two on either side of the doors—and once again flashed the parchment with the queen's royal seal on it for them to inspect. The two inspecting it shot suspicious glances at Namida and Darwe, though looked surprised to see the large hound that stuck close to Namida's side. Traditionally, hounds were known to bond with those in the royal guard. Though some later bonded with family members of those deceased guards, it was a rare thing to see a hound bonded to an ordinary civilian. Not that Namida figured she could really be classed as either term anymore. Not for the past several years, at least.

  "Do you want us to send some men inside with you?" the one guard asked, though Namida could tell he was trying to keep his voice low enough that the two of them couldn't hear. It was hard for her not to scoff at his thought that ordinary guards could take on their deadly trio. They knew each other's fighting styles inside-out and backwards, and they had been training every day since she arrived at Master Dorozi's complex to be able to take down Kaska and his elite troops in one fell swoop. They weren't about to be put down by some paltry guards. Not even the Queen's Chosen could take them when they were in top fighting form.

  Momal shook his head, murmuring back, "The Queen's Chosen will all be present. I'm confident that they will suffice."

  Speak and they will appear, Namida thought in amusement. The Queen's Chosen were the handful of skilled warriors she herself had picked to serve at her side. They were essentially the queen's bodyguards, never leaving her side except for when she retired to her chambers at night, but even then they stood on watch outside her chambers at night; one outside her door, one on the veranda, guarding the only two ways in or out of her chambers. It sparked rumors of paranoia and mistrust of her own servants among the citizens of Solus, but to Namida, it was the one thing she approved of when it came to the queen's apparent priorities. After all, being a monarch was not without its share of critics and traitors that would see her dead, even had the country not been embroiled in a war of the queen's own making.

  The guards shot the trio behind Momal suspicious looks, but grudgingly allowed them all to pass. The heavy doors creaked open to reveal an opulent throne room, all gleaming with gold and silver. Precious stones were set into the very columns and walls themselves, and the dark marble floor was polished to the point that she could see her reflection in it as she walked. She frowned as she noted how tattered and dirty her travel clothes were, worn almost threadbare as they had not been able to afford new ones in quite some time. Her hair was almost passable, twisted back in several small braids that were gathered at the back of her head with a leather cord. Darwe wore his much the same way. At least there was one thing about her that was somewhat presentable, she thought as she narrowed her eyes at the smudge of dirt on her cheek, trying to surreptitiously rub it off on the folds of her cloak. Darwe gave her an odd look as they trailed after Momal towards the back of the room where an imposing figure sat. Both of the men wordlessly clasped their hands in front of them in a sign of respect, and Namida gave a poor mockery of the act, her arm crossing in front of her to grab the empty sleeve that hung limp at her side. It angered Namida to show respect for someone who had none for her own people, but she would play along for now. She would do anything to reach her goal of destroying Kaska and his elite, of ending this war. The queen was just the means to an end, she told herself. She was so close to the power she needed to get her revenge. There would be no turning back now.

  Momal bowed as he reached the raised platform that held the throne, and Namida and Darwe followed his example. Nyago yawned and sat down at Namida's side, looking the picture of relaxation. She shot him an envious glance that he didn't need to bear with all of these irritating formalities before sneaking a glance up at the queen from beneath her lashes, as they had not been told to rise yet. Gawela studied them with a piercing gaze, as though sizing them up, gauging their strength and potential. She was garbed in an elaborate mosaic gown, threaded through with tiny colored glass beads to depict the mountains of the north merging into the fiery sands of the southern deserts below. Her fingers and arms dripped with gold and silver jewelry, everything from firestones to opals decorating her rings and bracelets. Her pierced ears signified her high status, and Namida's eyebrows rose as she counted seven piercings on each ear—more than even the most daring thief had ever given himself out of spite for what they deemed a preposterous symbol of wealth. Queen Gawela's light brown hair was short, barely chin-length, and its tight spiral curls were held back from her face with a crown even more elaborate than the rings adorning her fingers. Gawela's gaze flickered, catching on Namida's. She held her breath, but didn't back down from the queen's molten stare. The queen's eyebrows raised as her fingers curled over the arm rests of the throne that towered behind her, making her look strangely small.

  "Rise," she commanded, her gaze never leaving Namida's as they straightened.

  "My Queen—"

  Gawela raised a hand, silencing Momal without so much as a glance in his direction. She pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes at Namida as she stood unmoving, her face a careful mask of indifference.

  "Namida the Red," she said, using the title that she had begun hearing whispered in taverns and inns in the past few months. It wasn't for her magick, either, but for the trail of bodies she seemed to leave in her wake. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last. I had hoped you would visit me several years ago, when your master first passed, but no matter." She folded her hands in her lap, leaning back into the plush cushions that lined the throne, looking for all t
he world as if she had not a care in the world. It irked Namida. "Come, tell me how your trip has been."

  Namida took a deep breath, having to fight to maintain her calm facade.

  "Permission to speak freely, My Queen?"

  She ignored the look of alarm that Darwe shot her, his fingers clenching as he tried to shake his head at her surreptitiously, telling her she shouldn't do this. She didn't care.

  Queen Gawela gave her an amused look. "Permission granted."

  "I don't like you." She noted the way the queen's eyebrows shot so high they almost disappeared into her hairline. There were murmurs of disbelief from the Chosen as they shifted at their posts, three on either side of the platform. Momal seemed to sigh, while Darwe had relaxed at her side. She could see the slight difference in his stance, though; one foot had slid back ever so slightly in preparation to launch into action should the need arise, his expression carefully neutral to hide his intent. All these reactions from just a few little words. Namida smirked as she continued. "I don't think I'll ever like you. In fact, one might even go so far as to say I despise you."

  One of the Chosen began to draw his sword, the others' hands flying to do the same.

  "Stop," the queen's voice cut across them like a whip, and they froze, looking none too pleased as they sheathed their weapons once more. She noted how their hands lingered near them despite the fact that they had stood down. Queen Gawela pursed her lips, giving Namida a thoughtful look. "Continue."

  Namida sighed. The smell of the throne room was bothering her, the strong scent of incense heady and overpowering. She ignored the throbbing in her temples as she met the queen's gaze. "The fact remains that even though I don't like you, you are my best chance at defeating Kaska. I'm sure you're aware of my powers, but they are...erratic, at best," she ground out, not wanting to admit her flaws to strangers, let alone the queen, of all people.

  The queen nodded sagely. "Yes, Momal has informed me of such." She smiled, but it looked...odd on her face, Namida thought. Almost as if she wasn't used to using the muscles to smile. "Fortunately, we can fix that." She beckoned to her side, and a person that Namida hadn't noticed before separated themselves from the wall, seeming to detach from the very shadows. It sent a shiver down Namida's spine as her thoughts turned to that night in the alley, when that man had killed Bufuni before disappearing into the night...

  As the person neared the platform, Namida noted their feminine features despite the fact their hair had been sheared off. The smooth dome of their head had swirling symbols that she vaguely recognized as being of the Old Language tattooed into it. She cringed at the thought, having heard what a painful procedure that was.

  "This is my mage, Larani," Queen Gawela said, motioning to the figure that stood on the step below her, peering at Namida now with haunting gray eyes. She couldn't shake the thought that they looked oddly familiar, but she was certain that she would have remembered someone with such a striking appearance as that. "Larani will provide you with the practice and supplies needed to properly harness your power. After all," she said with another odd smile, "I believe it would be in all of our best interests that you be able to put Kaska down. The mad dog has been running off leash for long enough, don't you think?"

  Namida didn't deign to respond, turning her gaze to Larani instead.

  "When do we start?"

  Larani's eyes sparked with mischief as she stepped past the Queen's Chosen, the guards giving her wary looks as they stepped back, forming a line in front of the queen.

  "Now."

  Nyago and Darwe were shoved aside with an invisible force as Larani launched herself at Namida. A deadly dance had begun, and she was in no way prepared.

  o—O—o

  Namida pinned Larani to the floor with her boot, the flaming tip of her sword hovering dangerously over the woman's neck. The woman's eyes danced with excitement at the threat. The fact that her protégé had finally mastered her magick to be able to summon it at will like this was the product of blood, sweat, and tears on both of their parts. Well, actually the tears were only on Namida's part. She wasn't even sure if Larani was capable of remorse. The woman was all hard edges and condescension, her only emotions seeming to be anger and frustration. Unfortunately that meant she got the brunt of both throughout their training. The days had melded into weeks, which then turned to months. It had been almost a year already that Namida and Darwe had lingered at the palace, and not a day went by that she wasn't itching to leave. Not only did she want to be on her way to end it all already, but everything about this place made her angry. The longer she stayed here, the more she wondered if Kaska was really the one she should be killing. She had finally been able to start meditating again, under Larani's guidance that rather than completely emptying her mind as Master Dorozi had taught her, she focus on a single thought. She had begun to focus on the thought of how her confrontation with Kaska would go. She could almost feel it, her blade clashing with his, sending sparks flying as she set her sword aflame...

  But when she opened her eyes again, she was always there, in her gaudy chambers decorated with lace and silver. It disgusted her. She had such trouble sleeping in the soft feather bed at night that she often ended up sleeping in a nest of blankets on the floor. She didn't want to get used to the decadence of the palace. She was a warrior, and by Fate, she would not allow herself to soften when she had yet to achieve her revenge. With her enemy beneath her, all she would have to do was place the sword to his neck, and...

  Clapping brought her back to the present, and her eyes widened a bit as she looked down to see Larani still pinned beneath her, the flames of her sword licking dangerously close to the mage's face. She quickly snuffed out the flame with a thought and sheathed the resilient metal, having been proofed with magick to withstand the heat of her flames without melting. A firestone gleamed in the hilt now; a gift from the queen, it was a regent rumored to aid in the control of fire magick for those able to summon it. Even just holding it caused warmth to surge through her veins, as though the fire itself was warming her from the inside out. Namida took a deep, steadying breath and turned to the source of the sound.

  "Well done, Namida," Queen Gawela said. Even after all these months, her smile still seemed strange and unnerving. "I believe there is nothing more Larani can teach you, correct?"

  "Yes, My Queen," Larani said as she stood, bowing. "I believe Namida is ready to receive the latest reports."

  Namida's gaze flicked between the two, narrowing slightly. Had they been withholding information from her? The thought, like most things these days, infuriated her.

  "Very well," Gawela said with a lazy flick of her hand at one of her Chosen. "Give her the parchment. The boy and the hound may come in now."

  Namida barely registered Darwe and Nyago's approach as the guard swept forward and handed her a rolled parchment, quickly backing away as though she might burn him if he stood too close. She ignored the conflicting feelings it caused. She didn't understand why they would be more afraid of her now than they were when she first arrived. After all, she had much greater control over her fire now than she did back then. Unrolling the parchment, she was aware of Darwe peering over her shoulder as she read. Her brow furrowed.

  "He's right where we thought he would be," Darwe murmured as he traced the small map that had been etched at the bottom of the report. "He's in the mountains."

  Namida had the passing thought of wondering just how many soldiers died so they could have this information. She grit her teeth. It would not be in vain.

  "Thank you for your help, My Queen. We'll be taking our leave now," she said with a sloppy bow before she turned on her heel and strode out of the open doors as Gawela shouted after her.

  "You can collect your provisions at the gate!"

  If only they didn't need them. Being this indebted to the queen was insufferable enough as it was.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Namida casually wiped her blade clean on the rag she kept tied to her be
lt. Nyago huffed as he licked his bloody chops, not caring that it was human blood on his muzzle rather than animal. She fought the urge to cringe at the sight. Even after the many years she had fought beside the hound, it still felt unnerving to see him lick the blood of their enemies off himself as though they were nothing more than the desert mice he hunted after darkness fell. It made her wonder, if she ever parted ways with him, would he see her the same as the rest of the humans he was so eager to fight and kill with her?

  The sound of Darwe sheathing his twin swords drew her attention, and she glanced away from Nyago to see him looking at her. She met his eyes for a moment before looking away again. When he looked at her that way, like he cared about her and needed to make sure she was okay after a battle, it sent a strange and unwelcome feeling through her. A tingling warmth settled in her chest, and she bit the inside of her cheek to try and distract herself from it. She didn't need this kind of attachment that could be used against her by her enemies, whether that enemy was Kaska—or the Queen.

  Her eyes narrowed as she scuffed her blood-splattered boot in the sand to dry it off. She hated that she and Darwe were living off the provisions of the Queen as they trekked steadily towards the mountains in the north. They had been on the move for almost two weeks now, trying to go as quickly as they could in case Kaska decided to move from his base while they were on the road. From the intel the Queen had showed them, though, it seemed as though Kaska had very little concern about being found or not. His army's encampment was claimed to span the entirety of the pass between Mounts Elin and Pardus. Of course he had chosen the two tallest mountains to settle between. The irony was not lost on Namida that an entire army had gone for all intents and purposes unnoticed, camped between the two tallest mountains on the continent for Fate knew how long.